Dancing With Darkness
by alizep
Summary: In a twist of time and fate, the Senshi find themselves enslaved to Metallia while the Shitennou were reborn to fight alongside of Endymion. Not everyone is who they appear to be, or fighting for what they claim but they are all seeking the Silver Crystal
1. Chapter 1

So I'm back again with a new story. My other two stories are still in progess - not forgotten - just a little delayed. I thought I would put a new spin on this story. After the fall of the Silver Millennium Queen Selenity sent everyone into the future for a chance at happiness in a new lifetime. What if the roles were reversed and the Shitennou where saved from their fate and the Senshi took their place along Beryl's side instead. Sound interesting yet? On a side note, (in case anyone notices) I used V-chan and Mina-P because that's what Minako was called in the Manga. Otherwise I will not be using any of the other chan's and san's. So review and let me know what you think. Do I continue this story? (I started writing chapter 2 and that one seems pretty interesting...) Also, I'm terrible at naming people, so if there are any suggestions for the Shitennou's names let me know - otherwise I'm going with the generic fanfic names and I'm not sure I want to do that... So read and enjoy and of course these characters don't belong to me. sob

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"That's one of them," the blonde yelled into her friend's ear, trying to compete with the sounds of the loud music pumping through the club.

"Are you sure?" the raven-haired girl asked. She appeared disinterested as she adjusted the strap of her red shirt before smoothing an imaginary wrinkle out of her black skirt.

"I would bet our Queen's life on it," another blonde answered with a malicious smile on her face. She was dressed in a short, loose fitting pink dress. Her hair was left to cascade down her back, pulled away from her face in a simple low ponytail.

"If you're sure, then we should get him," the first blonde replied. "This one is yummy; I'm going to enjoy him."

"It's not your turn, V-chan," the raven haired-girl responded firmly.

"Oh, but, Rei," the blonde said wrapping her arms around the other girls neck and embracing her. "I never get to play."

"You know the Princess gets first pick, V-chan," Rei replied, unwrapping herself from the other girl's grasp.

"Usagi…." the blonde whined.

"He's all yours, Mina-P. I'm holding out for their Prince to show himself. He's a wily one."

"I won't fail you, my Princess," Mina replied, giving the other blonde's hair a light tug before disappearing into the crowd.

He stood leaning against the bar with a drink in hand waiting for his friend to meet him. It had not been his idea to hang out at a club this weekend, but somehow he allowed himself to be talked into it. Now on his third drink, he checked his watch for the hundredth time, ready to abandon this "guy's night out".

As he continued to scan the room he felt like he was on guard watching for something bigger to occur. This wasn't the first time that he had this feeling, but for some reason it felt amplified as if something big was going to happen. His face was set in a stony expression which helped to keep many of his would-be admirers at bay. Some girls would still attempt to talk to him, while the bold ones would try to dance with him right where he stood. This was hardly the type of place that he wanted to meet a girl who was looking for nothing more than a one night stand.

With a sigh he attempted to signal the bartender for another drink with no luck. As he turned back to face the crowd he found himself face to face with a breathtakingly beautiful blonde. Her hair was a bright golden color; half was piled up on her head while the remainder of her hair trailed down her back. Glitter and sweat glistened on her exposed skin giving her an ethereal glow and making tendrils of her hair cling against her seductively. A silky gold sequined halter top covered her chest while leaving her midriff exposed. Her legs were clad in fitted black leather pants and her feet where encased in a pair of sharp black heels.

"Care to buy a girl a drink, Love?" she whispered seductively in his ear, resting her body against his and running her fingers through his silver hair. His eyes met hers and he was mesmerized by the endless depths. She smelled of something sweet and he suddenly had the urge to kiss her to see if she tasted the same.

Her hand fell from his hair to land on his shoulder and proceeded to run the length of his arm. She smiled in amusement as he seemed momentarily spellbound, unable to react to her touch. Carefully she tugged on his white sweater, smoothing out the material against his chest. "Well?" she drawled seductively.

He looked back to the bartender and signaled for two drinks, this time successfully grabbing the bartender's attention who returned with two tall shots in hand. With a smile the blonde reached around him for the first glass and poured the fluid in her mouth, swallowing in one swift gulp. She put her empty glass back on the bar and picked up the other drink bringing it to his lips and holding it while he drank the contents. Her body pressed against his again as she put the glass on the counter. With her other hand she sought out his own and then proceeded to pull him onto the dance floor.

A strange feeling overtook him and his mind fought to stop his body from following this eccentric girl. The mixture of the bright flashing lights and the pounding music left him feeling disoriented and he hazily speculated if maybe he had too much to drink. It had to be more than that though. His body was acting of its own accord and he feared that if she ordered him to stand in front of a speeding train he would have no choice but to oblige her. She found a spot to her liking on the dance floor and pressed her body against his, dancing to the beat of the music. He moved with her, their bodies fitting together seamlessly. Her movements were alluring and he craved her touch more and more as the seconds passed by.

She pulled his face to hers and kissed him deeply, pleased with herself as his green eyes appeared to cloud over. This first victory was hers, although she felt disappointed that he had put up no fight. She could feel the power radiating off of this man but why didn't he fight back? Does he not realize who he is to his Prince? Regardless, she would enjoy the events to come.

The music continued to blare loudly and he could feel his heart beating in time to the sound. As he looked around he realized that she had somehow moved him to the back of the club. It was almost as if she were whispering commands that overrode his mind's ability to do anything else but obey and he found himself not wanting to resist any further. With another kiss she pushed him against the wall and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer. His arms automatically moved to envelop her, one holding the back of her neck and the other grabbing her backside. She purred into the kiss and he only hungered for her more with each passing second. Her hand subtly moved to settle on the center of his chest and he could feel a warmth emanating from her touch. Suddenly his chest felt constricted and his breath caught in his throat.

"You can't have him, my little Princess," a tall man with black hair whispered into the blonde's ear, moving to wrap his arms around her from behind. One arm wrapped loosely around her neck while the other held her arms against her side. They stood alone on a raised platform off to the side of the room. Here the lights were less blinding and it offered a better view of the room and its occupants.

"Endy…." the blonde purred, lightly swaying her body to the music.

"That's not my name anymore, Usa," he replied sveltely. "Why must you continue to call me that?"

"Why do you call me your little Princess? Is it not all part of our game?" she replied with disinterest.

"Where are your other hellions?"

"Around." She stopped dancing and turned her head up to face him. "Would you like me to summon them?"

"I want you to call back the one trying to seduce my friend."

She crinkled her nose and looked back out over the crowd. "What's he to you, Endy?"

"You can play coy all you wish but we both know that he is my protector."

"And in a moment he will be V-chan's protector," the blonde giggled leaning back against him.

The man growled in her ear and produced a blade that he had kept concealed within his sleeve, pressing it to her throat. "In another moment you will be dead." He could feel her tense within his arms.

"You're not playing nice tonight, Mamoru." All humor seemed to disappear from her voice as she enunciated each syllable.

"You're not playing fair sending that vixen to seduce him. Tell her to let him go and I will let you go - an even exchange. I trust that you will hold true to your word."

"Why won't you join me?" she drawled.

"Call her off now." He held her tighter, allowing the tip of the blade to indent her skin. It was not his intention to draw blood, but he was getting desperate.

'That's enough, V-chan,' Usagi relayed telepathically to her friend.

'But you promised me I could have this one,' came the reply.

'This is an order!' A hiss from the blonde was her only response.

"It's done," her voice took on its bored tone again.

"I knew you wouldn't disappoint me, Princess." He watched as the other blonde stepped away from the light haired man, even at this distance her could see the annoyance marring her beautiful features. The blonde in his own arms relaxed and he knew that this round belonged to him. "'Til we meet again." His lips brushed her ear softly while carefully laying a red rose to rest in her hand. He stepped back and disappeared into the throngs of people.

Usagi looked at the rose in her hand and clenched her fist tightly against the stem, angry that she had not succeeded tonight.

Mina removed her hand from the man's chest and he gasped for air. His green eyes met her blue ones and she smiled, kissing him once more.

"What did you do to me?" he asked, to which her only response came in the form of playful laughter as she pulled away from him. He reached out and grabbed her arm pulling her back to him. "Who are you?"

"My friends call me V," she smiled mysteriously.

"I'm Kai."

"I know who you really are. Until next time, Love." With one last smile she backed away and disappeared into the crowd, leaving him to wonder if he had been dreaming. The only evidence that she had actually been there was the dull ache that remained in his chest. A hand clamped down his shoulder and he tensed.

"Kai, I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Mamoru, you startled me."

"Are you feeling alright? You look a little pale."

"I'm not sure. The strangest girl just approached me."

"Is she coming back?"

"No, but I get the feeling that I will be seeing her again shortly."

"Why don't we get out of here and grab some coffee instead."

Kai's eyes continued to scan the room. The feeling of being on guard was present again now that Mamoru was standing next to him and he couldn't help but to feel a sensation that something was still amiss. His encounter with the girl left him feeling somewhat disoriented and he was shocked to realize that a half hour had passed since she first approached him when it felt as if only a few minutes had passed.

"Kai?" Mamoru asked meeting his friend's eyes.

"Yeah, let's go."

Both men headed out of the club, leaving behind the flashing lights and the reverberating sounds. A small group of girls appeared on the roof of the building and watched the two men walking down the street without looking back.

"Well, that was a waste," Rei muttered, the wind blowing her hair gently. "I can't believe you let him get away, V-chan."

"It wasn't my fault. Usagi wouldn't let me finish with him," she replied with a pout.

"Not now, V-chan," Usagi muttered.

"You promised me that he was mine."

"I said not now!" she yelled at the blonde. "His Prince was here tonight. It seems that they have already found each other. We need to work fast before he can find the others."

"What will we tell our Queen?" Rei asked.

"Don't worry about her, I will deal with that. We need to stop them from realizing who they really are."

"This one is still mine," Mina hissed. "I don't care if his Prince is standing by his side, I will have him." She lifted herself up into the air and disappeared.

"Why didn't you tell us that he was here tonight Usagi? We could have taken him."

"Tonight he was being playful, I didn't want to attack."

"I hope that you aren't distracted by your past revelations."

Usagi laughed at Rei's comment and grabbed her hand. "Let's go, Rei. We have much to do now that he knows of our intentions." Both girls disappeared from the roof leaving a black rose petal to drift onto the ground, the only indication that they had been there.


	2. Chapter 2

Finally - here's chapter two. This chapter isn't as action packed as the other but it sets the scene for the story.  
Thank you to those who have reviewed so far - and thank you to those who will review in the future (hint hint...)  
All feedback is appreciated! So without further ado...these characters are not mine, just the plot...enjoy!

(Authors Note: 12/10/07 - I decided to change the names of the characters, the original names weren't really what I was looking for. I looked on some name websites for inspirations and I found some good names that have good meanings  
Joel - strong willed  
Zane - gift from god  
Nick - conqueror of the people  
Kai - triumph;  
)

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The blonde haired woman walked through the crowds of people, absently stopping to look at her watch from time to time and completely disinterested in the gawking looks she was receiving from the male population around her. With a sigh she continued on her way through the campus courtyard watching as the people around her talked amicably and had papers spread around them as they studied in groups sitting either on the ground or at a table. As she approached the end of the tables she noticed a familiar face sitting in front of her. She smiled like a predator at the peak of the hunt as she closed the distance between them.

"Mind if I join you?" the blonde woman asked sitting down before the other man could respond. He looked as handsome as she remembered, dressed in a black sweater with a pair of jeans. His pale hair seemed to stand out in contrast to his clothing but somehow it was fitting for him. He was someone who could never truly blend into a crowd, always appearing to be regal and commanding.

"Please do," he replied, looking up to take in the sight of the woman sitting across from him.

They continued to watch each other for another moment before she finally spoke. "I'm so embarrassed – you don't remember me do you?" she placed her hand in front of her mouth briefly before moving to bite down on one of her manicured fingernails.

He took in her delicate features and long golden hair. She wore a blue sweater that hung loosely over one shoulder and a fitted pair of khaki's. Suddenly her image was superimposed by the blonde goddess from the night before in a golden top with leather pants. He could still feel her body against his and the searing sensation of her kisses. "I do remember you."

"That's good to hear, Kai," she giggled. "I'm sorry that I disappeared on you the other night. Something came up and I had to run."

"How very mysterious. I should be apologizing to you though for my behavior that night. I must have had more to drink than I realized."

"Your apology is not accepted. I'm not sorry at all. Sometimes it's fun to just let go."

"Do you normally go around kissing strange men?" He raised his eyebrow as he looked at her.

"Only the handsome ones," she winked teasingly in response. "Would you like to get out of here and grab something to eat? Maybe we could get to know each other a little better – or maybe a little less?" She chuckled at her own joke and it brought a smile to his lips as well. "I was just on my way to this great sushi place for lunch."

"I really shouldn't, my next class in an hour and I can't afford to be late."

"What if I told you it was only a few minutes from here? Please?"

Kai looked at his watch debating if it was worth the risk of being late for his next class. He could only imagine his Professor's reaction if he interrupted his class by strolling in once the lecture had started. Normally it was Nick, one of his classmates, who carelessly sauntered into the lecture hall at the time of his choosing despite the reprimanding he continued to receive from their Professor. The guy obviously came from money and had no interest in his studies. His eyes moved to meet the blonde's in front of him and he decided that he was curious enough about her to throw caution into the wind. That and he almost felt regret that he would be disappointing her if he turned her down. "Sure." She smiled brightly at his response and stood from her chair while he packed up his books and placed them carefully in his backpack.

"I think you dropped your pen," she walked around to his side of the table and bent down to pick up his pen. When she looked up she found herself nearly nose to nose with him. "People are going to start talking if we keep meeting like this," she teased handing the pen over to him. As their hands touched he couldn't help but to notice how soft her skin was.

"Then I guess we'll have to work on being more discreet." He smiled at her and watched as her eyes took on a mischievous glint.

"I like the way you think," she said as she stood up from her kneeling position.

He rose from his seat and they started walking off the campus grounds and down the street towards the restaurant. As they walked he studied her appearance, noticing how much shorter than him she was without her heels on. Absently he wondered how such a petite girl was able to have so much control over his movements last night when he easily outmatched her in strength and physical size. Even more so he noticed how much more reserved she seemed as compared to their previous encounter. It was almost like she was a different person. "You never actually told me what your name was."

"My friends call me V."

"Is V short for something?"

"No," came her curt reply. "So what are you studying at the University?"

"I'm a history major."

She scrunched her nose in response. "That was not my best subject in school." A thoughtful expression crossed her face as she paused. "Although I do have some interest in ancient history. The stories of the planetary gods and goddess fascinates me."

"Do you go to the University as well?"

"No."

"What were you doing at the campus then?"

"Besides looking for you?" she smiled. "My friend is a medical major; I was visiting her between classes."

"So what do you do?"

"I do some modeling."

"Anywhere I might have seen you?"

"Perhaps."

He waited for her to offer more details but realized that she would not be so forthcoming. "You're so mysterious."

"Not really. I'm just more interested in talking about you."

"I'm sure you're much more interesting than I am."

"You'd be surprised," she smiled at him, looping her arm through his. "Sometimes you'd be amazed at what you can find out about yourself."

An hour and fifteen minutes later Kai went running through the campus trying to make it to his class without being any later than he already was. Time just somehow didn't seem to exist around her. He kept asking himself how they could have been sitting in that restaurant for an hour talking when he still barely knew anything about her. But that didn't mean that he wouldn't! Before they parted ways she scribbled her number in his notebook and made him promise to call her later. He just couldn't believe his luck that a girl as beautiful as her – let alone a model - would be interested in him. Not that he was a bad looking guy, but normally girls like her did not randomly approach guys like him.

He stopped outside the door to his classroom trying to take a moment to catch his breath and compose his self. At this point he would be better off skipping class to save himself from the reprimanding that was sure to ensue – but he couldn't afford to miss any more days. Why did she have to be so alluring?

"You just need to nod your head and try not to smile while he lectures you."

Kai turned his head to notice a man with dark brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail approaching him wearing a white shirt and dark pants. 'Who else but Nick would be as late as he was,' he thought to himself. Nick stopped to stand next to him and Kai instinctively sized the guy up, noticing that the other man stood a few inches shorter than him. 'There's that feeling again,' he continued to think. 'Like I need to be on guard as if something big were about to happen.'

"You've never been late before?" Nick mused.

"Never," Kai muttered.

"I suppose you're also the guy who always comes prepared for class and sits in the front row paying attention."

"Just go inside," Kai ordered. Nick looked startled for a moment by the tone in Kai's voice, but shrugged it off and opened the door to the classroom.

"Nick!" The professor barked. "I see you've decided to grace the class with your presence."

"I'm only 20 minutes late today, that must be a new record – no?"

"Your humor seems to be the only thing well timed at the moment. And would you mind telling the class what was so important that you could not be on time?"

"I'd hate to take away from your lecture anymore than I already have Professor."

"Perhaps if you started coming to class on time you might learn enough from my lectures to save your barely sub-par grade."

"Perhaps. But why stop a good thing?"

Nick's comment got a chuckle from some of the students causing the Professor to become angry. "Perhaps you should see me after class." His eyes shifted to take in the sight of Kai standing behind Nick pinching his nose in anticipation of what was to come. "Kai, I'm surprised that you would allow yourself to be involved in whatever trouble Nick has surely caused for himself."

"I'm sorry Professor. I-."

"Since the two of you feel that you have better things to do than attend my class you can embark on an extra assignment. I want a one hundred page report with a full analysis on the origins of Japanese mythology and the effects of it on contemporary society, typed in APA format and in my hand by next week. I would recommend heading over to the library now to start working on it."

"Yes sir." Kai turned and walked back out of the classroom with Nick in tow. He started counting to 10 and back in his mind, trying to calm himself.

"That went well," Nick joked.

"You think this is funny?" Kai barked. "I have enough work on my plate without having to do this extra paper. You just had to be a smart ass didn't you?"

"It's not that big of a deal."

"It is that big of a deal. Now we're going to go to the library and start working on this paper together and you're not leaving until I say so."

"You can't order me around."

Kai stopped walking and turned to face Nick. "I just did. Now let's go." He continued down the hall not bothering to look back to see if Nick was following him. His instincts told him that he had gotten his message across and that Nick would fall in line – he always did despite his arrogance. 'Fall in line? Giving orders? Where is this coming from?' Kai wondered to himself.

Several hours later they finally decided to call it a night. It was nearing dinner time and Kai felt like his eyes were getting fuzzy from looking over the different texts. Nick had sulked most of the way through, but one look from Kai was enough to remind him that there was work to be done and that his procrastination would not be tolerated.

They walked the hallways together in silence until they reached the parking lot. Nick was the first to speak. "I'm sorry you got in trouble with me."

"It's fine."

"Normally Professor Sato isn't so uptight."

"You did egg him on."

Nick chuckled. "Some days I think he enjoys our banter."

"But not today?"

"Not today." Nick agreed.

"I'll see you at our next class." Kai called over his shoulder. "You should surprise him and be on time." Nick laughed and walked across the parking lot to his own car.

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Nick arrived home a half hour later to find his girlfriend's car parked in the driveway of his sizable home. He jogged to his door and threw his books on the table in the foyer. "Where is that beautiful woman of mine?" he called.

"I'm in the kitchen!" came her reply. He walked into the spacious kitchen to find his girlfriend standing out the counter chopping some vegetables. Her tall form was showcased in a lovely tan summer dress and her hair was pulled up into her trademark ponytail. He wrapped his arms around her waist squeezing her. "You're late," she commented, leaning her head back to kiss him.

"It was a long day. I ended up having to work on an assignment with some guy from class. Our Professor was apparently having a bad day."

"And I'll bet it had nothing to do with you being late again."

"It's your fault I was late in the first place," he said, tugging her ponytail with one hand and stealing a carrot from her cutting board with the other.

She reached out to smack his hand but was a second too late. "Don't you dare blame me, I told you to get going but you refused to get off the couch."

"Is it so wrong that I want to spend some time with my girlfriend? Besides, I didn't hear you complaining as I was doing this." She visibly blushed from his statement and he placed several light kisses on her neck, "and my hands were doing this," his fingers crawled up over her stomach and she smacked his hand again. "Are we going to eat soon?"

"Do you think you'll make it to the dinner table on time?" she teased.

"For your cooking Makoto – nothing could stop me."

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"What are you doing in here?" the blond-haired man asked as he walked into his office to find a girl hovering over his desk, shuffling the papers around. She looked stunning in her dark blue pinstriped blazer and matching skirt. "I told you what would happen if I caught you again."

"You left the door open," she replied coyly looking up to see the taller man in his black suit watching her. "I believe that makes it okay for me to be in here."

"I think you know what the penalty is for this."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I can't have you rifling through my things whenever you feel the urge arise," he said calmly, approaching her slowly as if she were some prey that he would pounce upon.

"Don't you dare!" she shrieked as he reached out and grabbed her wrists, pulling them behind her back with one hand as his other arm encircled her slim waist. She squirmed against him trying to get free but found herself unable to outmaneuver him. He brought his mouth to her neck and blew a wet raspberry on her. "I can't believe you just did that!" She pulled away from him and wiped her neck with her sleeve.

He chuckled as she stuck her tongue out at him and pulled her in for a kiss. "I'm sorry, Ames, I just can't stop myself from doing that."

"You're a child in a man's body some days I swear."

"I can't be business all the time now can I?"

"I suppose not, otherwise that genius brain of yours might go crazy."

"You flatter me, my Lady."

"So why are you so late Zane?"

"It's been a long day," he said wrapping his arm around her waist and escorting her towards the door. "You have no idea how happy I am to be heading home with you." She smiled shyly at him. "You are coming back to my apartment right?" he asked giving her a squeeze.

"I suppose. Shall we pick up dinner on the way home? Or did you want to try burning the kitchen down again?"

"It wasn't my fault that the hand towel spontaneously combusted," he replied indignantly.

"I'm not sure that it counts as spontaneous when you leave it laying next to the flame on your stove top…." Her voice drifted off as he rolled his eyes at her.

"To be spontaneous is to do something without warning," he said to her as if he were speaking to a child. She snorted in response. "The towel certainly offered me no warning. Besides, the firefighters said that it wasn't that bad and it only took 5 minutes to put the whole thing out. You know, Ami, sometimes you can be so dramatic."

It was her turn to roll her eyes at him. "Says the human peacock," she muttered.

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The room was full of people who were finely dressed for the opening of the galleria. Despite the amount of assemblage, the young woman was able to find the blonde haired man she was looking for. He was well dressed in a dark suit that fit his trim, yet well built figure. She approached him slowly as if she were merely reviewing the exhibits lining the walls. Luck was on her side as she managed to catch him standing alone towards the back of the room.

"Isn't this just an amazing painting?" the raven-haired girl mused standing next to the blond haired man.

"Perhaps, if you're interested in this style," he said softly, keeping his eyes focused on the canvas in front of him.

"I like the abstract. You're free to interpret the piece as you believe it to mean. The surface is just that, leaving so much more to ponder underneath."

"I know why you're here," he eyes shifted to his right to glance at the elegant woman standing next to him with long dark hair and deep red dress.

"Besides for the opening of this gallery?" she inquired.

He turned to face her, his blue eyes showing no emotion. "I know who you are. You thought to catch me off guard."

"I don't know what you're talking about, sir," she said, sounding appalled. "But if you don't wish to speak with me than please just say so," she said turning to walk away from him. The man followed after her, grabbing her elbow and pulling her behind a large pillar, away from any prying eyes. "What are you doing?" she asked jerking her arm away.

"You're not going to take me."

"I think that perhaps you are paranoid," she said feigning innocence.

"The same reason you want to take my Prince." Her face froze and her eyes revealed their shock. "You didn't think I had awakened yet did you?"

"Then shall we fight here, with all these innocent people standing-by?"

"I want you to walk out the door and stop following me."

"I can't do that." Rei stepped in closer to him keeping her voice low. "My Queen wants you and I shall be rewarded when I deliver you." His eyes narrowed at her words. "Please tell me you want to put up a fight. I think I would enjoy that." Fire ignited in her palm and she reached out to touch him. His hand mimicked her actions, igniting with a blue tinted fire and grabbed her fiery hand with his own. "Do you enjoy the pain?" she asked seductively.

"There is no pain," he replied squeezing her hand until the fire smoldered between them.

"You're strong," she mused.

"You're toying with me," came his cool reply.

She pulled her hand back from his grasp and placed it on his shoulder, leaning in slowly to whisper in his ear, "tell me Joel, have you even found your Prince yet? I know where he is."

"If you harm him," he growled, "I will hunt you down. You will learn quickly that I don't always play this nice. Now if you will excuse me, I must bid you a good night." He pulled her hand from his body and gently kissed her knuckles before turning and walking away, leaving her to stand there on her own, furious at her failure. Surely she would never hear the end of this from Mina.

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Across town a couple stood atop two separate roofs staring at each other from their respective ledges, the full moon casting shadows around them. A man in a tuxedo stood facing the moon, the gentle wind making his cape sway behind him. On the other side stood a woman in a short fuku, the bodice portion was a light gray and the skirt a deep gray. A matching dark gray, large bow sat on her chest – matching the small bow adorning the small of her back. White gloves ran from her finger tips to her elbows and her legs were encased in a pair of black boots. Her hair was pulled up into two buns atop her head, the pigtails trailing in the breeze, appearing pale in the moonlight.

"It won't be long until my senshi have them under their control," the blonde stated crossing her arms.

"They will fight you," the tuxedo clad man replied, his arms at his side.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Endy. We almost took your favorite from you last night."

"He was too strong for her, she would have only succeeded in poisoning him. I think we both know that she never would have been able to control him."

"My senshi are the strongest in the galaxy. I doubt your Earthling Kings would be able to withstand an assault from them. Besides, they have already given in to my Queen once. Do you really think it would be so hard to make them surrender themselves again?"

"I am a mere Earthling myself and you have yet to defeat me."

"That's because I'm saving you for last."

"Then perhaps it's time that I awaken my guardians."

"I knew that you couldn't hold out on your own for much longer, Endy."

"Is that what you thought, Serenity?"

Her eyes narrowed to slits and she stepped back into a battle stance. "She is dead," she hissed.

"She was reborn in you."

"I killed her!"

Tuxedo Mask jumped across to the roof of the other building. "I don't believe you." He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her inches away from his body. "If that were the truth then you wouldn't feel yourself being pulled to me. Face it, Usagi, you can't kill me because Serenity is still in there."

"Remove your hands or I will give you proof of my words."

"You can't fool me. I will free you and you will take your place at my side where you belong."

"Which King would you like to lose first? My senshi will prove their powers. Choose."

"I'm going to find them and protect them from you."

"Fine, then I will decide for you. The next time you see me there were will be an addition to my ranks."


	3. Chapter 3

I'm back with my next update - and it only took me a week! This started out as a short chapter - like 3 pages, but then I got some inspiration and I couldn't stop myself! So here is a nice long chapter.  
Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter. It really does help to with writing these stories when you know that people are enjoying it.  
Please review and let me know what you think. Any of your questions being answered yet? Don't worry - there's a huge plot twist to come! Enjoy!  
(Of course these characters aren't mine...)

--

A couple nights later, Kai was still at work on his paper that was assigned as punishment for being late. He let his head fall on the coffee table, a mixture of exhaustion and boredom taking over. 'This was ridiculous,' he started thinking to himself as he pulled his head up and leaned back against the couch. All he had to do was explain to the teacher what happened, surely he didn't deserve such a penalty for his first offense. He needed to take a break before he went crazy. Unfortunately it was rather late and he couldn't think of anyone who would still be awake at this hour. With a sigh he reached for his notebook to review some of his notes from the library. As he opened the cover he noticed a smooth, definitively feminine script glossing the backside. He couldn't help but to smile at her note. It seemed that she anticipated his level of insomnia and wrote that he should call her whenever he finds himself distracted and unable to sleep. What he really got a chuckle out of was her signature. She wrote a cursive "V" followed by aka "The Night Owl" and a smiley face underneath. He looked over at the clock once more and hoped that "The Night Owl" would still be up. The phone rang several times and he was getting ready to hang up deciding that she was probably asleep. His thumb moved to press on the end button on his cell, but stopped when he heard her cheerful voice come through the earpiece.

"It took you long enough to call," she said laughing.

"How did you know if was me?"

"Because I knew you'd call."

"It's not too late is it?"

"It's never too late. I'm actually on my way home from my agent's loft. She threw a party in honor of my latest photo shoot."

"That sounds exciting."

"Did you want me to stop by?"

"If you're tired go home," he said, unsure of her forwardness.

"What's your address? I'll be there in 5 minutes."

"5 minutes?"

"You can set your watch by it," she laughed before ending their call.

As promised 5 minutes later there was a knock on his door. He opened it to find Minako dressed as if she just came from a black tie affair. She wore a white dress lightly spotted with black dots that stopped just above her knees, allowing him a view of her well shaped legs. Her feet were adorned with a pair of strappy sandals bringing her closer to his height, although she still only came just above his chin. Her dress was strapless with a sweetheart neckline giving her a sexy yet modest look. Every curve of her body seemed to be accented by dress and it took him a moment to realize that he was staring at her. "Come in," he said, closing the door as she walked through carrying a large bag.

"What a long night," she said, leaning against him as she pulled off her sandals. He smiled noticing how she dropped back to her shorter height without her heels on, bringing her head level with his shoulder. "Do you mind if I use your shower? I need to change out of this dress; it's even more uncomfortable than it looks."

"Sure, it's right down the hall. There's extra towels -."

"Don't worry, I'll find everything that I need," she winked at him as she walked away and he wondered what he got himself into.

Fifteen minutes later she emerged from his bathroom dressed in a pair of loose fitting cotton shorts and a sweatshirt. She plopped down on the other side of the couch, stretching out her legs on the cushions and he stopped flipping channels, finally settling on the news. Again he found himself staring at how beautiful she was. As gorgeous as she appeared when she first walked in with her elegant dress and professionally done hair and make-up, she somehow managed to make her sweats look even more appealing. "Feel better?" he asked her.

"Much," she drawled for emphasis. "It's nice to be able to dress down and be comfortable once in a while. So what are you still doing up?"

"Working on a paper for class."

"Anything interesting?" she inquired, glancing at the papers spread out on the coffee table.

"Not really," he replied.

"Is that why you called me?"

"I needed a break and your note said to call you whenever."

"I'm glad you called. I really am sorry for making you late for class the other day. If it makes any difference I enjoyed our lunch date."

"It was worth being a little late," he said, trying not to look at the papers calling to him.

"Do you have a blanket I can use? I'm cold."

"Of course. I –"

"I'll just be in your room," she said lifting herself off the couch.

"My room?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

She giggled at his expression and thought to herself that that this man had to have the sexiest eyebrows she had ever seen. "I meant I'm going to be in your room grabbing the blanket off your bed. I hope you don't mind?" she asked even though she had already disappeared down the hall. A moment later she came back in the room with his burgundy blanket bundled in her arms. She dropped down on the couch again, curling her legs underneath her, this time opting to sit next to him. "Are you cold too?"

"Not really."

"Really?" She leaned against him putting her hands on his arm. "You are warm. Good, you can warm me up." She opened up the blanket and spread it across both their laps. "Tell me about your paper."

"It's really not that interesting."

Her blue eyes looked intensely at him before softening her expression. "I find you to be very interesting. Besides, I like the sound of your voice." She wrapped her arms around his arm and rested her head against his shoulder. "Please?"

"The assignment is to write about the origins of Japanese mythology and the effects of it on contemporary society."

"So which story did you choose? Selene and Endymion? That's probably the most popular."

"That's why I chose something different," he smiled softly at her aware that he had piqued her interest. "I chose the story of Tamamo-No-Mae."

"I've never heard that one. Tell me about it."

"Tamamo-no-Mae was a courtesan who seduced the emperor and was said to be the most beautiful and intelligent woman who always looked perfect and smelled sweet, never a hair out of place or a winkle in sight. One day the emperor became ill and no one was able to find a reason for his ailment. An astrologer then came to see the Emperor and told him that it was Tamamo-no-Mae who was causing his ailment, that she was really an evil nine-tailed fox in disguise attempting to take the throne. The emperor immediately called for his greatest warriors and sent the two men out to kill the fox. After much time passed the fox appeared to one of the hunter's in his dream as the beautiful Tamamo-no-Mae and begged him to not kill her. Of course he was loyal to his Emperor and refused to spare her life. The next day as the fox feared, he caught and killed her with a magical arrow. The fox's body turned into Sessho-Seki (killing stone) which then killed anyone that it came in contact with. It's said that she possessed the stone until she was finally exorcised from it."

"What a sad story. Maybe she really loved the Emperor."

"She tried to kill him."

"That may not have been what her heart wanted her to do."

"You sympathize with the fox?"

"Am I not beautiful?" she asked looking up at him.

"You are," he replied. "You look perfect, smell sweet and never have a hair out of place or a wrinkle in sight."

She smiled at his comment and comparison. "And what if it was I who made you ill? Would you order my death, even if it was my nature but not my intention?"

"But you are not a nine-tailed fox."

"Maybe we can see if there is something else on. I can do without the news right now," she said casually, changing the subject.

"There's not really anything on," he said as he started flipping through the channels again.

"Stop! Let's watch this! Please…." She begged, her bottom lip pushed out into an exaggerated pout.

"You really want to watch this?"

"I love the Sailor V movie."

"Isn't it for kids?"

"It's for everyone. There's action, adventure, and even a love story."

"They say she just up and disappeared one day."

"Maybe she was deceived by a nine-tailed fox."

"Maybe…." He said, placing his arm around her and stroking her hair. She started to relax against him and her eyes began to close as she drifted off to sleep. He smiled to himself at how comfortable he felt with her and how good she felt pressed up against him. Careful to not wake her he slid down on the couch a little further and put his feet on the coffee table. As he shifted, her hand moved from his arm to rest on his chest. He didn't resist as he fell asleep nor did he notice the warm feeling that started emanating from his chest.

He had a strange dream that night - men in gray uniforms and women in sailor fukus. There was a sword in his hand and a sword in hers, and somehow he knew that they had killed each other. Suddenly a bright silver light engulfed them and then he was alone in total darkness. A cold hand reached for him and he felt like he was drowning, but was saved when a warm hand reached for him, embracing him and blocking out the cold. Suddenly there was a flash of golden light and he awoke with a start. It all seemed so familiar, but when he tried to think back on his dream he found that it was fading. There were no faces, no bodies, just the bright flashing colors as silver battled gold. Despite this, he felt like he had slept better that night than any night before that.

As he sat up he noticed the small form still resting against his body and the tickle of her hair against his arm. He rubbed his eyes and was shocked to realize what time it was. Once again he was going to be late for class and he started thinking that she was going to be hazardous to his education. He had 10 minutes to be out the door if he wanted to make it to class on time.

Carefully he slipped out from under her, laying her down on the couch and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. As he stood under the hot water he wondered to himself what he was doing. The first time he met her she kissed him passionately. The third time he meets her he sleeps with her – well maybe not in that way, but having her spend the night at his apartment and sleeping on the couch with her was not what he expected to be doing. What was he going to do with her now though? He couldn't very well kick her out while she was sleeping but he wasn't sure if he should leave her to wake up alone in his apartment. How did he get himself into this? With one last blast of hot water on his face he turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. There was no time for him to be thinking about this, he had to get to class.

Quietly he opened the bathroom door and walked over to the bedroom pushing the door open only to find her on the other side standing by his bed in only a bra and panties, her jeans at mid-thigh. "I'm so sorry," he said averting his gaze from the half naked woman in front of him. "I thought you were still sleeping."

"It's my fault, I thought I'd be able to get dressed faster," she replied as she finished pulling up her jeans to cover the black thong she was previously exposing. "Just one more second and then I'll be out of your way." She tugged on a tan and brown striped shirt. "All done, you can look now."

They both stared at each other for a moment and he could almost swear that she was undressing him with her eyes – not that there was much left for her to undress. "This makes for a slightly awkward situation doesn't it?" he half-joked.

"I'd say we certainly got to know each other a little better this morning," she smiled cheerfully.

"That's one way to put it," he attempted to smile back at her and they eyed each other up silently once again. "Well if you don't mind I need to get dressed now," he said, mentally smacking himself for not coming up with something more suave to say.

"I'll be waiting for you in the living room," she said walking past him and he could almost feel her brush against him as she moved, leaving her sweet scent to linger around him. He grabbed a pair of jeans and a gray long sleeve shirt and rushed out into the living room with a pair of socks in hand, sitting next to her on the couch. His eyes darted over to the clock and he had five minutes to grab his books and make it out the door – he might make it on time after all.

"So what are you doing today?" she asked.

"I have class in 20 minutes and if I hurry I might just make it on time."

"I was late nearly every day in high school and I turned out ok," she joked.

"What was your GPA?"

"That is not up for discussion." He couldn't help but to smile at her answer. "So what's after class? I was thinking maybe we could do something today."

"I'm meeting my friends Zane and Mamoru for lunch this afternoon," he said pulling on his last sock and reaching for his books on the coffee table.

Her face soured at his answer. "Can't you cancel with them?"

"Is there something wrong?"

"You can have lunch with them any day; you should spend the day with me instead."

"Actually they are both medical majors and with our schedules it's rare that we have time to meet." He jumped off the couch and headed towards the foyer to grab his bag and start putting his books away. "Didn't you say your friend was a medical major?"

"I did, but I doubt that they know each other," she said watching his movements. Slowly she stood up from the couch and approached him. "Don't you need the report that you're working on?" she gestured to the table.

"Not for today's class. Why don't we meet up after lunch?" he started putting his shoes on.

"I'll meet you on Campus later then."

"Sounds like a plan. Can you do me a favor?"

"Name it."

"Lock up when you leave? I feel bad leaving you like this but if I don't go now I'm not going to make it to class."

"No problem," she smiled at him and took a small step closer.

"I'll see you later then," he pulled the front door open.

"And Kai," she said stepping closer still.

"Yes?" he looked back to face her.

She stood up on her toes, giving him a kiss so passionate it rivaled the ones from the night at the club and for a moment he debated skipping class altogether to stay with her. "I just wanted a proper goodbye. Now go and don't be late."

Stunned he walked out the door and took the elevator out of his building. He dashed off to his car and started it up, thinking that today would be a good day – until he looked at the clock and realized that he now had 5 minutes to make a 10 minute drive plus get across campus. He was finding it easier to believe that she really was late to school every day.

Minako walked away from the door and stood on the edge of the living room looking around. Kai's apartment was spotless and moderately furnished. The room contained a couch situated in the middle of the room facing a plasma tv mounted on the far wall. There was a chair positioned on both sides of the couch and coffee table centered all of the furniture, his school work scattered across the surface leaving the only evidence that anyone actively resided in the residence. A bookcase was on the wall behind the couch, perpendicular to the sliding glass doors of the balcony. There were a few pictures with people who looked like his family and maybe even a couple of friends. Her vague musings were distracted by the distant sound of a female's giggling. "Princess?" Minako called out. "I know you're here, I can feel your presence."

A girl in a gray sailor fuku appeared before her smiling. "My V-chan, you are a tricky girl."

"How so?" she asked innocently.

"Allowing him to see you practically naked like that, I'm sure your intentions weren't as innocent as you let on. Too bad he was too much of a gentleman."

"I think it's cute," Minako replied with a smile.

"How much longer are you going to make me wait for him?"

"Not too much. He's strong, I'll give him that."

"Is he too much for you?" Usagi asked, challenging the girl in front of her. "Perhaps I should have one of the other girls help you."

"This one is mine. Besides, he won't be able to resist me much longer and then I will bring him back to our Queen, just give me a couple more days. I want to make sure that I really have him under my control."

"Where is he now?"

"Class. I didn't see too much harm in letting him go."

"And what about after?"

"I'm working on that."

"What does that mean?"

"He has plans to meet with Mamoru and Zane."

"You can't let him do that."

"I'll think of something. Besides, Mamoru can't stop us now."

"Yes he can, V-chan!" Usagi shouted. "He plans on awakening his Shitennou! Jadeite has already managed to awaken himself and you can't let the same happen to Kunzite. You have to stop him, V-Chan, and if you can't I will."

"There's no need for that. I'll make sure that they don't get the chance to talk. In the meantime I'd be more than happy to take a stab at Jadeite, unless of course that would make my dear Rei angry."

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Maybe I'll just soften him up a bit for her."

"Just remember that she will return the favor."

"There will be no time for that."

"I'm glad to see that you have toughed up a bit, my V-Chan," Usagi smiled. "I was afraid that you might never fall into place at my side."

"You've shown me where I belong. I live only to protect and obey you."

"And no more of that Sailor V nonsense right?"

"Sailor who?" Minako said with a dismissive wave of her hand and transformed into her sailor fuku. "I'm going to stop home for a short while before my first date." Her top and skirt were both a shocking white, with an orange skirt layered under the white one – only inches of the orange layer exposed. An orange bow sat on her chest and at the small of her back while a gold heart chain wrapped itself around her slim waist. Her feet were adorned in orange strappy heels, and her arms were covered with white gloves. Instead of her tiara a small topaz gem sat in the middle of her forehead. The red bow in her hair had ceased to exist when she gave up her identity as the crime fighting Sailor V. "Don't worry, my Princess, I will take care of everything." Minako blew a kiss to Usagi and then disappeared in a golden orange haze.

She rematerialized in her sparsely outfitted apartment. Her living room consisted of a couch, a wicker bowl chair, some end tables and a plasma tv mounted on the wall. In her past life she would have wanted more, but as it was she barely spent any time here. Her apartment was more of a formality to help her sustain her pseudo identity.

Cool arms wrapped around her as a masculine voice spoke softly against her ear. "You're back. I've been waiting for you."

His skin always felt cool when he touched her bare skin. Perhaps he spent too much time in the Dark Kingdom where there is no warmth. "What are you doing here, Danburite? I'm surprised our Queen let you out."

"And why would she stop me?"

"Because you were supposed to pledge your undying love and loyalty to her and if she were to find out you promised it to me she might have you killed."

"In my last lifetime I loved you and I will continue to love you in every other as well," he said kissing her softly on the cheek.

"Not now, Danburite. I'm too tired."

"You spent the night with him."

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"I know where you've been and I'm disappointed."

"Disappointed." She seemed to mull over this word for a moment. "I couldn't understand why, I only did what I was told."

"You need to be careful around him, my Venus. He hurt you badly last time and I will not stand to see him do so to you again."

"I hurt you in our last lifetime as well. Those were your words I believe."

"But you didn't mean to. I could not reach you in my past life, not like I can now." He walked around to her side and pulled on her hand leading her towards the hallway. "Why don't you come with me? I want some time with you before you're forced to return to him."

"I am on a mission for my Princess," she stated pulling away from him and crossing the room to stand by the glass doors of her balcony. She stood on the 29th floor and had a generous view of the city from her apartment.

"It's too late, isn't it?"

She turned back to face him and took extra notice of his features. He was so similar to Kai with his pale hair and strong build, yet somehow he was so completely different. Maybe it was Kai's warmth that separated these two men. "This is all nonsense. I don't understand what you are concerned about. My Princess asked me to bring him to her and I will. If you are this jealous now, what will you do when he is standing at my side as one of us?"

"He will not outrank me," Danburite spat, his face starting to flush.

"But he may," she said approaching him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "He is a powerful man and our Queen made him in charge of her armies last time. I can't imagine why she would not do so again."

"Things have changed."

"You're jealous," she smiled wickedly.

"I'm not jealous of that bastard!"

"Oh but you are, how interesting." She leaned into him so that their lips were barely touching. "If only you would tell me your secrets," she purred.

He reached up and pulled her hands from around his neck and stepped away from her. "You're toying with me."

"I would never be so cruel," she pouted at her own statement.

"Let me know when you're serious." He stepped back and transported out of her apartment.

"You will tell me your secrets, Danburite!" she shouted out loud to the empty room. He frustrated her to no end at times and this was no exception. His jealousy of this particular Shitennou was completely unfounded, not that she had ever pledged her love to him in return anyway. During her days as Sailor V she chased him completely fascinated by his appearance and the mystery surrounding him. At the height of their battle her Princess appeared to her and she was ordered to spare his life. She sought to follow her Princess through the darkness as she had sworn herself to always protect her. There seemed to be gaps in time from that point on that she could not explain and that no one else was willing to discuss. Whatever had happened to her must have been bad if they all wanted to protect her now – especially Danburite. Ever since their hunt for Endymion's Shitennou began he started to become more and more possessive of her. Didn't he realize that she could never fall in love? That was her destiny as he foretold it no matter how much it pained her to acknowledge it.

A feeling of restlessness came over her and she contemplated her options. Kai would still be in class leaving her with one other option – it was time to pay Jadeite a visit. She transported herself out of her apartment onto her rooftop. She jumped from roof to roof feeling that the man she was looking for was not too far away. As her eyes scanned the population of people walking through the streets she could see him moving through the crowd, a firm look on his face. She leapt across several rooftops and then jumped down to land in an alley. Once he was in her sights she powered up the chair around her waist and threw it forward, wrapping it around him as he walked past her. Once he was pulled into the shadows she grabbed on to him. "Now it's my turn to talk, Jadeite," she smiled wickedly and they transported from the alleyway to an isolated area of the park.

The chain fell from his body and wrapped back around her waist, returning to its smaller size. He dropped back into a fighting stance, preparing himself for whatever assault she might have planned.

"If you would rather fight and get it over with that's fine with me," she said indifferently, "although I'd much rather try and talk this out first."

"I don't think there's anything to discuss," he spat. "I already warned your friend what would happen if you came after me again."

"Rei can be such a softee at times. I on the other hand will show no mercy, Jadeite."

"Is that so?"

"How is it that you have been awakened?"

"That's for me to know."

"I need to make sure that your friends don't make the same mistake as you."

"Of course, I'd hate for them to put up a fight when you come for them as well," he said sarcastically.

"You've already had your first warning. Too bad there's not a second. Love-me-chain!" she called and the chain on her waist expanded into a longer chain that she used to lash out at him. He was unable to dodge her attack on time and was thrown back from the force, small sparks flying off her chain from the impact with his body. "Cooperate," she demanded.

He looked down at his chest and noticed that her chain had singed the dark green material of his shirt. "I will not!"

"Love-me-chain!" she called her attack forth again, but this time he was able to time it better and jumped out of the way. Her mouth formed into a thin smile as she called forth her next attack before he was able to land on the ground and gain his footing. "Rolling heart vibration!" The attack hit him dead on and he was thrown back from the blast again. "How about now?"

"If it's a fight you want than you shall have one." He summoned his powers and transformed into his uniform, signifying him as Endymion's protector. His chest was covered by a white tunic and he wore a pair of brown pants with black boots up to his knees. A brown and blue cape hung proudly from his shoulders and for a moment Venus was unable to move as she took in his image.

"There's something about you that I want to remember," she said softly. "You're wearing the wrong uniform. Your uniform is supposed to be gray. This uniform that you have on – I don't know – there's something familiar. Why would I have memories of you like this?"

"You knew all of us in this incarnation first."

"Knew you? Were we friends?"

"Friends? Perhaps more than that."

"More? You and I?"

"No, not us. I loved another, just as you did. You don't remember him either?"

"Him?"

"Is there anything that hasn't been taken from you by your illustrious queen?"

"I have had nothing taken from me," she insisted firmly despite her mind's acknowledgement of the truth behind his words.

"We were not always enemies," he said, pausing for effect. "He loved you from the moment you met and you said that you felt the same way. Did they take that from you?"

"I love my Princess, hers is the only the love I can have. Can you say the same about your Prince? It is your job to protect him yet he has fallen victim to us many times over."

"I will find him."

"You will find him once you have been incorporated into our ranks."

"Try it, Venus," he said throwing his hand in front of him. A fireball burst from his palm and flew at a high rate of speed towards her. She side-stepped the attack as it swooshed by her like it had been nothing more than a passing breeze.

"And here I thought we were having a pleasant conversation."

"You threatened my Prince."

"I have done no such thing." She waved her hand airily at him. "Why don't you tell me more about this Him is that you spoke of? You have my attention."

"That will continue to be my secret."

She laughed at his words. "I have had enough secrets for one day. You will tell me what I want to know if you wish to buy yourself more time."

"I will tell you nothing!" he growled. He repeated his attack again, although this time when she moved to side step it he ran at her at top speed, knocking her to the ground. She called her attack but was unable to hit him as he jumped away again.

"Rolling heart vibration!" she called again. The attack pursued Jadeite as he tried to jump away and knocked him off his feet sending him tumbling to the hard ground underneath him. "Tell me your secret."

"Never."

"Fine. Love-me-chain!" her chain flew from her waist and slammed against him before he could react. "Tell me!"

"No," he said defiantly, pain apparent in his eyes.

"Love-me-chain!" she called and the attack lashed out at him again. "This is your last chance."

He weakly lifted his head to glare at her. "I'm going to protect both of them from you."

"If that's the way you want it then," she snarled. "Love and Beauty Shock!"

"Flame Sniper!"

The attack flew at Venus and she was forced to jump out of the way to avoid getting struck causing her attack to fly wildly and collide with a tree, splintering the trunk into pieces. She glared at the senshi across from her whose fuku was entirely red. The skirt was cut into diamond edging with a white underskirt. The bows on the front and back of her fuku were white, as were the gloves covering her arms. A small ruby sat flush against her forehead and her dark hair fanned around her.

"Venus! The Queen will not be pleased if you kill him."

"The Queen or you? Are you mad that I was able to do what you could not?"

"The Queen has ordered your return."

"I'll return when I'm ready."

"You will return now!"

"Please give her my fondest regrets." Venus transported away leaving an angry Mars to stare after her wake. She turned to face Jadeite only to find that he was gone as well. 'She is going to have a lot of explaining to do when she gets back,' Mars thought to herself as she transported away leaving only some scorched ground to show that a battle had taken place.

Nearby a man dressed in a black tuxedo kneeled next to the man in the earthen uniform, both watching silently from a safe distance as the women finally disappeared. "You were lucky this time," the man in the black tuxedo said. "The last attack could have finished you."

"She caught me off guard is all," he spoke firmly.

"How long have you been able to use your powers?"

"I don't understand how that's any of your concern."

"Has it been so long that you no longer remember me?" He pulled away his mask and a small smile formed on his face.

Realization formed on Jadeite's face and he shifted to rest on one knee, bowing at the waist in recognition. "My Prince, I have finally found you."

"I felt your powers being used and I came as soon as I could."

"Where are the other Shitennou? We are supposed to be guarding you."

Mamoru stood up and signaled for Jadeite to rise from his kneeling position. "I have found Kunzite and Zoicite, but they don't yet know who they are. They seem to have lost all of their memories. Unfortunately I've been unable to locate Nephrite."

"You need to restore their memories as soon as possible."

"I was hesitant to do so before, but it seems like now I have no choice."

"Let me come with you. I'm eager to be reunited with my brothers."

"Not yet. I need to talk to them first, this is a lot for anyone to absorb. Tonight I will introduce you to them and we can start our search together for Nephrite. We'll meet at the Tokyo Tower at midnight."

"I understand," Jadeite said, releasing his transformation. He felt weak and leaned against a nearby tree for support.

Mamoru detransformed as well and reached out to support the other man. "Are you going to be ok? You took some pretty bad hits out there."

"I'll be fine. I just need to go home and sleep this one off."

"At least let me help you get there safely," Mamoru offered.

"I thought it was I who was supposed to be protecting you," Jadeite smiled sheepishly.

"You have plenty of time to make it up to me now." Both men started walking out of the park and back into the city, finally disappearing into the crowd.

Kai arrived at the crowded cafeteria to find Zane waiting for him at a table with a magazine in his hands. Zane didn't notice Kai until he was standing by the table and even then he didn't bother looking up. "Is that article you're reading that interesting?" Kai asked as he sat down at the table across from him.

"Not really."

"You look like you're really into it."

"It's Ami's magazine. She asked me to pick it up for her. Women's magazines can be so shallow," Zane said looking up to meet Kai's gaze.

"Then why are you reading it?"

"Because she is hot," Zane spun the magazine to face Kai and pushed it across the table. Kai's face seemed to freeze in shock. "Are you ok?"

Kai stared at the picture and immediately recognized the blonde. The first page was an 8 x 10 of her wearing an orange spaghetti strap sundress kneeling by the edge of a pool; the surrounding area was neatly landscaped to give off a tropical appearance. Her body was facing away from the camera, but her head was turned so that she was looking over her shoulder and winking at the photographer. Golden hair fell all around her body and he could suddenly remember the feeling of it from this morning. His eyes turned to the next page which was a series of Q&A's. The introduction stated her name was Minako Aino – it looks like he was finally able to solve the first mystery about her. Although for the life of him he couldn't figure out where V came from, it must be some pet name she has from her friends.

"Kai?" He still received no answer. "I need you to blink, buddy." Still no response. Zane snapped his fingers in Kai's face and Kai looked up, annoyed at Zane's antics.

"I know her," Kai simply said.

"How could you possibly know her?"

"She stayed at my apartment last night," Kai said, still staring at the picture.

Zane opened his mouth and then closed it again, sitting there in silence. Slowly a grin formed on his face and his eyes brightened with excitement and awe. "You slept with the Cosmo girl? You may be my new God."

"It wasn't like that," Kai grumbled. "She stopped by last night and we fell asleep on the couch."

"Do you want me to tell you how lucky you are?"

"Not really," Kai closed the magazine. "Where's Mamoru? Shouldn't he be here by now?"

"I have more questions for you though," Zane said weakly.

"No more questions," he replied sharply. Zane opened his mouth to protest but decided against it from the glare he received from Kai. He was normally one to do as he pleased, but there was something about the man in front of him that had the feel of an authority figure. They had gone to school together and all throughout high school Kai always looked after Zane. He was the one true friend that he had even though there was very little in common between them. Kai was always popular, although he never really seemed interested in what was going on around him. He exuded power and you couldn't help but to sense it when he entered a room. Perhaps that's why people were always so drawn to him. Zane on the other hand was the polar opposite. He loved to learn and took his studies very seriously, always ranking at the top of his class. As much as he wanted to fit in he was not always accepted for who he was and because of that he tended to find himself on the outside of the crowd looking in.

"I'm not sure where he is. He was supposed to be the Teacher's Aide in class today but he never showed up. Perhaps he's not well."

"Strange that he wouldn't bother calling either of us," Kai reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone checking for any missed calls and upon finding none placed it back in his pocket.

The sound of a phone's shrill ringing startled the girl sitting in the library. She quickly picked up her phone and silenced it before it could make another sound. "Hello," she whispered.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the library."

"They are all together now. I need you there."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Stop them."

The phone went dead in her ear. She shook her head and gathered her books, slowly heading out of the library.

"Speak of the devil," Zane said, looking towards the entrance of the room. Mamoru approached them and sat next to Kai. There was something so similar about the two men sitting next to each other in the way they presented themselves Zane couldn't help but to think. Physically they were night and day; Kai was slightly taller with broader shoulders and radiated power and authority with every movement and every well thought out word. Mamoru was thinner with a darker complexion who seemed so regal and one couldn't help but to want to please him. Between the two it was no surprise that they had been able to become friends, each man comfortable with the strength the other exuded. Zane could almost imagine how standoffish each man would become when entangled in an argument. Kai was the leader and he won every fight despite the fact that Mamoru outranked him. Leader? Outranked him? Why would he even think about something like that? Interesting how his thought felt like a distant memory he was itching to catch.

"Sorry I'm late," Mamoru said running his hand through his disheveled hair. "I ran into an old friend."

"We were starting to think that maybe we should call out the National Guard," Zane joked.

"It was someone I hadn't seen in ages and we had some catching up to do."

"Perhaps we will meet this friend sometime," Kai said.

"Perhaps," Mamoru repeated looking at Kai. "You seem different today."

"Different? How so?"

"I don't know," Mamoru met Kai's gaze. Something seemed off about the man sitting next to him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Kai was always a man of few words – a lifetime still hadn't changed that about him. Only one person had ever been able to affect him, but she is gone despite the reincarnated version that appeared only a few nights ago. His eyes moved down to the table to see the Cosmo magazine. "Cosmo, Kai?"

"It's not mine, it's Zane's," Kai replied quickly.

"Ami asked me to pick it up for her."

"I see," Mamoru smiled. "So why then are either of you reading it?"

"Kai's girlfriend is in this magazine," Zane said, reaching across the table to grab the magazine before Kai could stop him. He flipped the magazine open to the page with the smiling blonde and slid it across to Mamoru.

Mamoru grabbed the magazine and the smile quickly fell from his face. "Her?"

"She's not my girlfriend. I barely know her," Kai replied trying to sound disinterested.

"You knew her enough to sleep with her," Zane said, smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"I didn't sleep with her."

"The girl from the club?" Mamoru asked. "I didn't think that you spoke with her again since."

"There's a girl from a club? I never heard about her," Zane attempted to interrupt.

"What does it matter?" Kai asked, ignoring Zane to respond to Mamoru.

Suddenly Mamoru realized what it was about Kai that seemed off today, she infected him. She was trying to fill him with dark energy again and Kai wouldn't even know what was going on until it was too late. Usagi said that she would take control of one of his Shitennou and she had her sights set on Kunzite knowing that once she had him the other Shitennou would fall in line just as quickly. "You should stay away from her," he said firmly.

"I think I'm capable of making my own decisions," Kai replied defensively.

"What's wrong with her, Mamoru?" Zane asked. He could sense that trouble was brewing, but the sense was so muddled that he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"It doesn't matter what he thinks is wrong with her," Kai cut in.

"I'm sure Mamoru must have a reason –" Zane tried to interject.

"I don't care about his reasons," Kai said, his eyes meeting Mamoru's.

"Even if you're making a mistake?" Mamoru challenged.

Both men stared at each other, neither backing down. Zane watched the exchange and tried to think of something he could say to ease the tension. "Ami!" he said, jumping up from his seat. A girl with inky dark hair approached their table carrying several books in her arms. "Ami I want you to meet Kai and Mamoru. These are my friends that I told you about. Guys, this is my girlfriend Ami."

Mamoru looked her over and the realization of who she was almost caused him to transform in front of everyone in the crowded room. She smiled sweetly at him and he forced himself to return the gesture. "It's nice to meet you, Ami."

Kai nodded his head and exchanged the same greeting, still distracted by Mamoru's comments.

Zane turned back to Ami. "So what are you doing here today?"

"I needed to stop in the library and I thought I'd pop in and see if you were still here," she replied quietly.

"You can join us," Zane said.

"Actually," Kai stood up from his seat, "I hate to be rude but I have a previous engagement to attend to." He grabbed the magazine from Mamoru and walked out of the room.

Mamoru stood up from his seat as well, watching for a moment while Kai walked out of the cafeteria. He looked at the couple in front him keeping his eyes on the girl in particular. "I must depart as well. We'll talk later, Zane. It was a pleasure to meet you, Ami."

"The pleasure was all mine," she replied with a smile watching as he turned and left. She sat in the seat Mamoru previously occupied and Zane followed suit. The couple immediately fell into their own conversation forgetting about the two departing men.

Mamoru turned back one last time to look at his friend sitting at the table with her. Was he too late to save any of them? It seemed like two of the Senshi had already staked a claim and he could only hope that the remaining fourth Shitennou was still safe from their reach. A blonde fell into step besides him as he walked across the campus. "Why are you here?" he asked, his eyes never wavering from the path in front of him.

"You can't stop the inevitable. He's mine now," she said cockily. "That night at the club was only the beginning."

"You're underestimating him. Once he finds out who he is and what you are, you'll lose him."

"I think he already knows more than you believe he does."

"I'm not going to let you win," he growled. He stopped walking and grabbed her arm swinging her around to bring her face-to-face with him.

"Please, try something, Endymion, with all these people watching. I gave one of your Shitennou a decent thrashing today and now that I'm warmed up I promise you I'll give you a run for your money."

"Your Princess wouldn't be very happy with you."

"But my Queen would be."

"You're an interesting girl."

"And how's that?" she smiled sweetly at him.

"You're smart and you're strong, yet you somehow lost yourself to all of this. You were on my side once. We could have been allies."

"I was never on your side," she replied indignantly.

"You were Sailor V."

"She was young and inexperienced."

"She embodied all that was good. What changed you?"

"I don't have to answer to you."

"I can help you."

"I'm not asking for your help," she tried to step away from him.

"You can still be with him you know. Even in this incarnation Kunzite still loves you."

"Loves me?" She tilted her head slightly to the side. "I was in love with Kunzite?"

"You don't remember?"

"No," she said softly and looked away from him. "I'm not allowed to love."

"You can help me to save the rest of the Senshi."

"I don't need love," she raised her chin defiantly, her blonde hair swaying behind her.

"You're still a girl under all of this."

"I'm a senshi, the strongest in the galaxy."

"Think about what I've said." He released her arm and walked away, leaving her to stare at his retreating form. Tears started to form in her eyes and she quickly blinked them away. She wasn't that girl anymore, she's Sailor Venus of the Dark Kingdom and she doesn't need his pity or Kunzite's love. True or not whatever had happened between them happened a lifetime ago and could not be allowed to sway her judgment now. She had a job to do and she needed to move quickly to bring him to her side. He had already received his first dosage of dark energy to his kunzite stone. If she expended enough of her energy she may be able to convert him tonight. Although, if he really did love her as Endymion said then persuading him to follow her would make things all the more easier. After all, it worked when her Princess came for her.

She later found Kai at their agreed upon meeting spot. He was leaning against a tree with one foot resting by his knee against the tree trunk and reading a magazine curled up in his large hands. Her eyes took in his image and she could understand how her past self could have fallen for him. He was handsome by anyone's standards, but it was his power that called to her.

He looked up at her as she approached him and smiled. "So I have one question for you."

"And what's that?" she smiled back.

"Has it really always been the dream of Minako Aino to be an Idol?"

Her eyes widened for a moment. "Tell me, since when did big strong handsome men start reading Cosmo?" She stepped in front of him and reached for the magazine. He was quicker though and held it out of her reach.

"And is it also true that she is a hopeless romantic who enjoys candle lit dinners and walks on the beach?"

"It doesn't say that!" she yelled, reaching for the magazine again. He continued to hold the magazine over her head. His other arm reached around her and pulled her against him. "I warn you Kai, this means war…." She reached to tickle his side to which he didn't so much as flinch in response. "Everyone is ticklish," she said pouting.

"Everyone?" he lifted one eyebrow (in that sexy way that she couldn't resist) and started tickling her with his free hand. She collapsed against him in a fit of laughter calling 'truce' until he finally stopped. To anyone watching the couple they appeared to be perfect together. She fit seamlessly against him and the look that they gave each other was one of contented happiness – one might even call it love. "So your name is Minako?"

"It is."

"And if I wanted to know about you all I had to do was read this article?"

"That article is so silly. They ask me a few questions, I give them a few answers and they embellish the rest. So what are you doing with this anyway?"

"My friend bought it for his girlfriend and when I asked him why he was reading the magazine he said, and I quote 'because she's hot'."

"No he didn't." She grabbed the magazine from him.

"Oh yes he did."

"Is he good looking? Do I maybe want to meet him?"

"I guess it could be arranged."

"You would give me away so easily?"

"No," he simply said, caught in her gaze. He lowered his face to hers and kissed her softly.

"I believe," she said, pulling slightly back from him, "that you are mine for the rest of the day. That was our agreement."

"Minako, I'm yours for the rest of the weekend."

She leaned into him and wrapped her arms around his neck, the magazine still curled up in one hand. "Good," she said before kissing him again.

They stood pressed up against the tree, trying to stay hidden from view. Her hair fluttered in the breeze and his brown blue-lined cape wrapped around their bodies. This attractive couple would normally be hard to miss except that they took every precaution when ducking away to make sure that no one would be able to follow them. For as long as time allowed they relaxed in each other's arms, glad to be able to share in this moment with each other. It was growing late and the air was becoming cooler and the woman shivered ever so slightly as the air ruffled the orange skirt of her fuku that no one would have noticed, save for him who could see through every look she gave him to know its true meaning. His hand pulled tighter against her waist, covered by a white top with orange bows and she allowed him to hold her closer. No one could ever touch this Goddess save for this one heavenly king who breathed in her scent and knew that he would never let her go, not as long as she allowed him to love her. Sooner or later others would learn of their secret, but for now it was theirs.

They pulled back from each other suddenly trying to understand the image they just shared. Her hands fell from his neck to land on his chest, his arms still wrapped around her just not as firmly as before. His mind replaced her brown and tan top with a white top with an orange bow over her chest while her jeans melted away to become an orange skirt. He blinked and the vision cleared, the red ribbon fading from her hair. "We've done this before," his eyes stared into hers.

"It would appear so."

"Who are you?"

"The more important question you should be asking is who you are."

"I don't understand."

"You do, Kai. It's that feeling that you get to stay on guard and the need to be prepared. I can show you who you are."

"This doesn't make any sense."

"But it will." She wrapped her arms around his neck again and pulled him close to her. She powered up and transported them away leaving an empty space by the tree where they previously stood. They re-emerged in the living room of his apartment. It took him a moment to process what just happened and he released his hold on her waist attempting to take a step away from this strange girl. Her arms held firmly around his neck and he reached up to grab her hands and pry himself free from her grasp. She was strangely strong for such a small girl, but she was no match for him. He forcefully pulled himself free and stepped away from her. She slumped to the floor and he had to stop himself from rushing to help her out of instinct. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't mean to startle you, I just thought that we needed a more private place to talk."

"What's wrong with you?" he asked.

"It takes a lot out of me to do that with another person, especially when I'm not transformed."

"Transformed? Into what? Is that your true form, the girl in the orange skirt?"

"That was my old form, just like that was your old form as well. I will explain." She became encompassed in a golden glow and her clothing faded away to become her white fuku. Her powers started to recharge her and she felt stronger with each passing second. "Maybe you would like to sit down while we talk about this."

He could feel his guard rising again and he shook his head. "I'd rather stand."

"Very well." She pulled herself up to stand and watched as his body tensed and his face took on an emotionless mask. "You and I are from another time, known as the Silver Millennium. I am Sailor Venus, the leader of the sailor senshi sworn to protect the Princess of the Moon. You were the leader of the Shitennou, an elite guard formed to protect the Prince of Earth – back then you were known as Kunzite."

"You can't be serious."

"I am, and after what I have just shown you I would think that you had no other choice but to believe me."

"Why don't I remember any of this if it's true?"

"Our memories were repressed in this lifetime. When the Silver Millennium came to an end we were all sent into the future so that we could all live a normal life."

"Then how do you know all of this?"

"I was awakened by my Princess."

"Where is this Prince that you say I served?"

"It gets complicated."

"It's already complicated, Minako."

"You shouldn't call me that."

"I thought it was your name."

"It was, but she is no more. It's merely the identity that I took on when I was reborn and it's the identity that I live when I am not in my senshi form. Soon she will completely disappear and there will only be a Sailor Venus. If you would like, I can awaken the form lying within you."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because once, we were lovers." For a moment she was able to see a flicker of emotion on his face. "I don't want to hurt you, Kai. If I did you would be dead by now. I'm sure you realize how many chances I've had at this point." She stepped closer to him but he held firm, not moving in response. He would never retreat, that wasn't his way. Now she stood in front of him. "Once you have awakened you will have your powers back. You were a powerful man back then; you led armies into battle and answered to no one save the Prince himself."

"I don't care about being powerful," he said, his eyes never wavering from hers.

"You never did," she reached out and took his hand in her own, squeezing it slightly.

"You're manipulating me. I can feel your power and the effect it's having on me."

She smiled at him. "Don't fight me, Kai, I want to help you." She pulled on his hand and led him from the living room, down the hallway, and into his bedroom slowly pushing the door open. He followed her blindly, suddenly unsure of himself. As they reached the bed she stopped and whispered in his ear. She signaled for him to lie down and he obeyed, resting his head on the pillow. He was powerless to resist her at this point and found that he was unable to form a coherent thought. His eyes became heavy and he closed them allowing his body to relax. She sat down next to him and put her hand on his chest, centering it over where his kunzite stone rested within him. Her powers started to flow over him and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, "We'll be together again soon, Kunzite." For a moment she thought she saw a smile form on his lips before he returned to his expressionless mask.

He awoke several hours later, glancing at the clock to realize it was now just past 10 o'clock. Somehow he felt renewed and energized. 'Was this what she was talking about?' he wondered to himself, looking over to notice her still form on the bed next to him. She looked so peaceful when she was in her Minako form, and now even more so familiar. Most of his memories were still unclear to him, but he remembered meeting her and he more importantly remembered loving her. He leaned over and kissed her softly on her forehead, careful to not wake her. The distant sound of his cell phone ringing from the living room caught his attention and he quietly padded out to the living room to grab the phone before he missed the call. "Hello?"

"It's Mamoru. I've been trying to reach you for hours, is everything ok?"

"Everything is fine, I fell asleep when I got home and just woke up now."

"I need you to meet me at midnight at the Tokyo Tower."

"Tonight? Can't this wait until tomorrow morning?"

"No, there are some things we need to talk about and I'm afraid that if I wait much longer I might be too late."

"Too late? Mamoru, what's going on?" the concern rising in his voice.

"Just be there, we'll talk then."

The phone went dead and he was met with silence. What could be so important that it couldn't wait? The tone in his voice told him that he couldn't refuse Mamoru's request. He would leave Mina here to sleep and hopefully would return before she awoke, finding herself alone. There was a lot that they needed to discuss, but that would have to come later. He looked around the room and ran his hands through his silver hair; he couldn't sit around and wait, not after what he had just been through. With a final glance back to the bedroom he walked to the foyer and put his shoes on. He reached for his keys in his pocket but then realized that his car was still at the University due to their unorthodox method of travel. Her keys sat forgotten on the table by his mail and he reached for them hoping that her car would still be out in his parking lot – assuming that she had even driven there in the first place. Once out of the building he looked at the keys in his hand, hoping that she didn't drive some ridiculously small car like a mini-cooper. He clicked the keyless remote and looked over to the car with the flashing headlights. He looked at the keys in his hand one last time not believing his eyes at the emblazoned logo. The girl drove a new Porsche Boxster – no wonder she was able to be anywhere in five minutes. He walked over to the car in awe and slowly got in, immediately sliding the seat back to accommodate his larger form. Cautiously he backed out of the parking spot and shifted into first gear, speeding off into the night.

After an hour of aimless driving he arrived at the Tokyo Tower, noting that he was still early. He walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, waiting for his friend to join him. His senses seemed sharper as he looked around and the air was fully charged as if something were about to happen. Out of the shadows emerged two figures that he immediately recognized – Mamoru and Zane. They stopped talking as they approached him and Mamoru stepped out in front. "I'm glad you could make it. I was concerned when I couldn't get a hold of you earlier."

"If this is about what happened over lunch with Mina -."

"It is, but not the way that you think. There's more to her than you know."

"I know everything about her now, she told me. What I want to know is how you know about her."

"Then I'm too late," Mamoru said, defeat etching his features.

"Why did you ask me to meet you this late and what does Zane have to do with all of this?"

"Tell me what she's told you, Kai."

"Tell me what you know about her first."

"Minako Aino is not real, but Sailor Venus is. She has been after you for her Queen for some time now."

"For her Princess you mean? The Moon Princess?"

"She is no longer ruled by her Princess."

"How do you know about all of this?" Kai demanded.

"I hoped that you would have recognized me. I am Prince Endymion." A golden glow enveloped him and when he emerged he was dressed in black armor with a long red lined cape, a long sword rested in its scabbard at his hip.

"My Prince," Kai said softly. "And Zane?"

Zane willed his transformation and in the blink of an eye he was dressed in his Shitennou uniform. "I am Zoicite, second in command of the Earth armies."

"And you, Kai," Endymion started, "are Kunzite, my first in command."

"Mina told me all of this, but it still doesn't make any sense. What happened to us that we have found ourselves here?"

"The Silver Millennium was destroyed a thousand years ago by Metallia. I fell in love with the Moon Princess, Princess Serenity – a love that was not meant to be. Our planet was at war with the moon from fear of the power harnessed by their Silver Crystal. We were all sent to this future to find another chance at life, but now we all have no choice but to awaken and fight. I wanted to meet with you tonight to awaken your true form, but I see that Sailor Venus has already done so in her own eyes. She is extremely dangerous, Kai. Her intentions are to bring you over to the Dark Kingdom."

"She would never do anything to harm me."

"I can sense the dark energy in you already. She has already corrupted your stone. If you don't start fighting her you'll lose yourself to Metallia again."

"Again?"

"I want you to transform, Kai."

"I don't know how."

"You need to focus on your stone. I need to know whose side you're on."

"I'm not on either side."

"Your uniform will decide that. If you transform and wear the same uniform as Zoicite I'll know that you still side with me. If your uniform is gray, I'll know it's too late."

"We're not at war."

"We are at war, Kai, and right now you are the most important piece on the board."

"Gentleman," a strange voice came from the shadows and Mamoru and Zane quickly released their transformations, "I see I'm not the only one who is out late tonight. I'm especially surprised to see you out here, Kai."

The person emerged from the shadows and Kai was able to identify the voice as belonging to his classmate. "Nick, what are you doing here so late?" he asked.

"I was out for a midnight stroll with my girlfriend when she needed to take a call. We agreed to meet in front of the tower when she was done."

"Now's not really a good time," Kai said watching the other two men he was previously talking to.

"Nephrite?" Mamoru asked stepping forward.

"You know each other?" Kai asked.

"I believe we do," Nick said keeping his eyes firmly placed on Mamoru's face. "We go back a long time I'd say."

"Nick?" a female voice said emerging from the shadows as well. Her eyes took in the faces of the four men in front of her and stopped when she saw Mamoru. "Now I understand."

"Sailor Jupiter," Mamoru said dryly.

"My fearless leader asked me to be here tonight, but I didn't understand why until now," she mused.

"And where is your dear Princess?" Mamoru asked.

"She's very close now. In fact, the rest of the Senshi should be here any moment."

"I wouldn't take another step if I were you," a masculine voice whispered in her ear holding a sword up to her neck.

"Are you back for more, Jadeite?" Sailor Venus whispered back.

"This time I'm prepared," he pressed the blade further against her throat. "Your plan has been foiled, my dear, you're too late – Endymion will cleanse Kunzite of your dark energy."

"It's more complicated than that, Jadeite, he promised himself to me. I think you know what that means."

"We'll see about that. Now move." He pressed her forward from the shadows where they were kneeling until they came into view.

Kai looked up to see Jadeite's blade pressed to Sailor Venus's pale throat. "Mamoru, what's going on? Who is that?"

"Jadeite, my orders were to standby."

"She was planning an attack, Endymion. You're about to be ambushed."

"He's right you know," Sailor Moon jumped into view. "We were going to wait until the moment was right, but I guess now is good enough. Mars? Mercury?" Two other girls jumped into line with her. "Now that we're all together maybe we should talk. What do you say, Endymion?"

"There's nothing left to talk about, Serenity, you will not take any of my guards tonight."

"Oh, Endy," she giggled, "you always were a little slow to catch on. I've already made my pick."

Mamoru turned to look at Kai who was glaring daggers at Jadeite oblivious to the situation around him. "If it wasn't Kunzite you were after…."

"Me," Nephrite said laughing. He transformed into his gray uniform signifying his allegiance to the Dark Kingdom. Makoto transformed next to him as well, appearing in a white fuku top and light green skirt overlapping a dark green skirt. A pink bow sat on her chest and a smaller one on the small of her back. White gloves adorned her arms and her feet were clad in ankle high green boots. She reached for Nephrite's hand and walked back to stand next to Mercury who wore a pale blue top with a silver skirt layered over a dark blue skirt. Blue bows accented her uniform as did white gloves to her elbows and knee high blue boots.

Sailor Moon laughed at Mamoru's pained expression. "Now the only question is who will make the first move. It seems that you have one of my Senshi in a precarious position and I want you to turn her over. Now." This was not a request by any means.

"Then it appears that we both have something that the other one wants," Mamoru replied looking around to take in everyone's position.

Kai studied Jadiete, noting that his uniform matched Zoicite's when he was transformed. Was this Mamoru's plan the whole time – to use him as bait to hurt his Minako? He took a step forward.

"Don't do it, Kunzite," Jadeite warned. "You don't know what you're doing."

"I want you to release her," Kai said firmly.

"Kai," Sailor Venus whispered, and she leaned forward, nicking herself on the edge of the sword. A small trail of blood seeped from her throat and trickled onto her white uniform.

"What are you doing?" Jadeite yelled at her, pulling her back from the blade.

"Help me," she pleaded. Kai took another step forward and Mamoru reached to grab him. Zane transformed into his Shitennou uniform and stepped in front of Mamoru, an ice dagger forming in his hand.

"Drop it, Zane," Sailor Mercury warned.

"I don't understand, Ami. You've been hiding along side of me this entire time?"

"It was necessary."

"I trusted you," he pointed with his hand holding the ice dagger.

Sailor Mars stepped back and called forth her flame sniper attack, holding the flaming arrow at bay – aimed directly at Zoicite.

"Now we all need to calm down," Sailor Moon said looking around.

"Don't listen to her, Kunzite, she's trying to trick you," Jadeite said to Kai, unaware of the situation around him reaching a boiling point.

"I will not warn you again," Kai said.

"Stand down, Kunzite," Jadeite ordered.

"I do not take orders from you!" He lunged at Jadeite causing Jadeite to jump away with the sword still waving precariously in Venus's face. Kai's fingers reached out to touch her hand and he was surrounded by a silver light. When the light faded he had transformed into his uniform.

"Venus!" Jupiter cried. "Flower hurricane!" she flung her attack at the two men hoping to give Venus the opportunity she needed to free herself.

Zoicite saw the attack being launched at his allies and threw his ice dagger at Jupiter with amazing accuracy so that it skimmed over the top of her hand drawing a straight line of blood across the surface.

Sailor Mars launched her fiery arrow at Zoicite. The arrow flew at him at an alarming speed and he was pushed out of the way at the last second by Mamoru who then ducked the attack himself.

Mercury powered up her attack "Shabon Spray!" The area filled up with a cloud of fog so thick that they were all momentarily unable to see the space around them.

"Endymion!" Jadeite yelled. A bright golden light filled the area blinding everyone.

"No!" Sailor Moon screamed. "Venus!" her voice echoed in the darkness.

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I don't know about anyone else - but I can't wait to see what happens next!  
This is the first story where my chapters aren't being prewitten - so as of right now there is no chapter 4. That means that anything could happen! Stay tuned!


	4. Chapter 4

Here's the next installation and it's another big update (althought it took me longer than the last one grumble )! These chapters are so long that this story might end up wrapping up sooner than I planned... Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter - those were probably some of the best reviews I've received to date. (Must be where I get my inspiration to write wink wink ).  
Please read and review, as always all feedback is appreciated. Enjoy!

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The golden glow faded to reveal Sailor Moon standing by angrily as her eyes readjusted to the darkness. She looked around noticing that only she and three of her senshi remained. Endymion had gotten away and taken Venus with him. Venus was a smart girl and no doubt would be able to take care of herself, but Sailor Moon didn't want to risk it all the same. Somehow she would track down their location and she wouldn't be returning alone. "I'm going to bring an end to this cat and mouse game Endy!" she shouted into the night, her words echoing back to her.

Mercury typed furiously into her mini-computer. "I can't find any trace of them."

"They couldn't have just vanished," Mars said, ready to call upon her attack.

"Nephrite," Sailor Moon turned to face him, "where would they have gone?"

"I don't know," he answered indifferently.

"Tell me the truth! Where are they?!" she shouted at him.

"He is telling the truth," Sailor Jupiter took a step ahead of him.

"We'll find out soon enough. Let's go." She waved her hand causing a rift to form in front of her that shaped into a portal. Mercury, followed by Mars, entered first then Nephrite. As Jupiter moved to pass through, Sailor Moon placed her hand on her arm. "I hope you did your job correctly. I'd really hate to find out that your hold on him is anything less than absolute."

"Trust me," Jupiter said with tinge of resentment in her voice. "I promised you that I would deliver him and I did. I didn't fail you like Venus."

"I'm not so sure that she did." She released the other woman's arm and they both walked into the portal, the opening sealing shut behind them.

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"We are safe," Endymion said, dropping to his knees and clutching at his chest. Using his Golden Crystal to such an extent tended to leave him with a feeling of weakness. "This is Elysion."

"Our old kingdom," Jadeite mused. "I had forgotten about this place until this moment." His eyes were wide as he looked around taking in the lush fields that surrounded them.

Kai was also stunned for a moment by the change in scenery. As Jadeite spoke though, his attention was brought back to the blonde who hung limply in his arms. He reached over and pulled her from the other man holding her body against his chest. She was still breathing and he was thankful to know that she was merely unconscious. He laid her down and knelt by her still form, gently rubbing his fingertips on the side of her face. Kai's eyes narrowed as he stared at the man in front of him.

"She was powering up to attack Endymion, so I knocked her out with the hilt of my sword. She'll be fine."

Kai lunged from his crouched position and grabbed Jadeite by the collar of his shirt. Jadeite froze trying not to flinch from intimidation of the larger man. "If you touch her again I assure you the same won't be said for you," he growled.

"Kunzite! Jadeite!" Endymion yelled. "We can't fight among ourselves." Kai continued to hold onto to Jadeite with a snarl on his face. "Kunzite enough!"

He angrily released the man in front of him pushing Jadeite back a few steps. Soft moans sounded from Minako and he returned to kneel by her side. She had lost her transformation when they appeared in Elision as did he, although he failed to notice that he had briefly transformed in the first place. His hands moved to cup her face, gently stroking her checks with his thumbs when her eyes started to flutter. As her eyes flew open she jumped to a sitting position trying to ready herself for an attack. Kunzite pulled her against his chest and she instantly relaxed despite the stares she received from Endymion and his two Shitennou.

"I told you they were going to come after me," she said softly. "You can't trust them."

"I'm not going to let them near you," he murmured into her hair. His eyes were drawn to the side of her head where some blood had dried and tangled her blonde locks. As gently as possible he moved her hair aside to get a closer look at her injury and she flinched almost completely unnoticeable to everyone but him. Somehow he could always tell what she was thinking despite her appearance. "Can you stand?"

"I think so," she replied.

He lifted her to her feet and she leaned against him somewhat unsteadily. "So now what?" Kai asked looking at Endymion.

"We talk," was his firm reply.

"There is nothing to talk about."

"I don't remember you being nearly so stubborn in our previous lives."

"You weren't on our side of the line when it came to training," Zoicite snorted.

"He never budged or gave in on anything," Jadeite added.

"That's what made him our fearless leader though," Zoicite almost sounded sad by his reminiscing.

"I'm no one's leader," Kai stated. "I never asked for any part of this."

"None of us did, Kai, but your former self would have wanted to be reawakened," Endymion remarked.

"And what about my current self? Do I not exist? Do I not get a say in any of this?"

"You should meet Helios," Endymion said looking off to the building in the distance. "He can help you." His eyes moved to meet Mina's, "both of you."

"There's nothing wrong with me," she spat stepping away from Kai. "I'm returning to my Princess now. Are you coming with me, Kai?" His eyes darted from her to Endymion and back. She tried to call on her transformation but found herself unable to do so. Frustrated she tried once again without any further success. It seemed that her powers were somehow being blocked by this place. "What have you done to me? Why can't I use my powers?"

"This place is protected by the Golden Crystal. Your dark energy is useless here."

"You can't do this to me!" she shouted in frustration. "Release me."

"No, Mina, I can't do that. Whether or not you know it you need our help."

"In a minute you're going to need the help of your Shitennou." She approached him and Jadeite took a step towards Endymion, ready to protect him from whatever this girl might try to do. Kai glared at him and Endymion waved his hand at Jadeite signaling for him to stand back.

"I want you to trust me, Mina."

"You kidnapped me and now you want me to trust you?" she moved to hit his chest but his reflexes where quicker than hers in her human form and he grabbed her arm, holding her back from him.

"Let her go, Mamoru," Kai warned.

"No," he replied, his eyes glued to Mina's. "I'm not going to hurt her. As we walk I'll explain everything to you. Truthfully this time."

"I don't want to be involved in any of this," Kai voice became firm. "Let her go and return us to where we were." He took a step closer to Endymion.

"I am giving you an order, Kunzite. You will stand down and listen to everything I have to say." Kai opened his mouth to respond but something in the tone of the other man's voice made him stop and listen. "Everything will make sense when I'm done."

Endymion turned on his heel and started heading towards the building on the horizon with Mina's arm still tightly in his grasp. Kai followed after him carefully eying the way he held her to make sure that he kept his word. Zoicite and Jadeite looked at each other for a moment silently exchanging the same thought about the state of their leader before following as well. True to his word, Endymion started telling the story of what happened after the fall of the Silver Millennium based on the knowledge he was able to obtain.

"We were reborn here to live our normal lives, which many of us were able to do for quite some time. Queen Selenity sent all of us into this time so that we could have another chance at life. But when the Dark Kingdom started to rise again, some of us were awakened to do battle. I thought I was the first, but it turns out I wasn't – Mina was the first before all of us."

"This is nonsense!" she shouted. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Mina here," he continued as though she had never spoken," was a local celebrity where she came from in England. Perhaps you've heard of her alter ego – Sailor V."

"Sailor V?" Kai wondered out loud. "You're her?"

"I'm not her," Mina protested.

"You were," Endymion replied still dragging her along side of him as if this were a normal occurrence.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kai asked her.

She looked back at him with sad eyes as she continued to keep up with Endymion's quick pace. "I'm not her," she repeated sadly.

"She fought the Dark Kingdom for quite some time before her Princess came back for her. Do you even know what they did to you, Mina? Do you know what happened to you for all those years?"

"I wasn't gone, I've always been here."

"You were 13 when you first became Sailor V – you're 20 now. What happened to you for the past 6 years that no one has seen or heard from you as your alter ego? Why are you just reappearing now?" He was met with silence from her. "Beryl brainwashed her into believing she was an agent of the Dark Kingdom, the same agency she had dedicated her life to fighting."

"Don't believe him, Kai, this is nonsense."

"Shut up, Minako!" he glared back at her. "It's time you faced up to the truth." His eyes moved forward again and he continued his story. "The next time she was seen she had become this Sailor Venus who was sent to find the Silver Crystal. She is far more dangerous than she appears. Once Beryl realized that my Shitennou had been reborn to this lifetime she sent out the Sailor Senshi to find all of you knowing that I couldn't defeat the Dark Kingdom on my own. Sailor Jupiter was able to convert Nephrite, the only one that I was unable to find on time. Mercury had been starting to work on Zoicite, but I was able to save him by cleansing him of the dark energy he had been infused with. Jadeite here had somehow awakened himself and was prepared to fight off Mars when she came for him."

"He wasn't so tough when I came for him – isn't that right, Jadeite?" she sneered at him.

Endymion jerked her arm and she stumbled forward. Kai moved to reach for her but stopped when Endymion's eyes met his. "I thought that you were their intended target, Kai, but I was wrong. You would have been next though. The first night that you met Mina was a trap, it wasn't a coincidence or a chance meeting - she was after you. Perhaps she hasn't properly explained the nature of her powers. Mina's element is Venus. She has the power to seduce you with a single look or even a passing glance. You can't trust your judgment around her; she's been known to affect people just by being in their presence."

"Don't believe him, Kai," she cried out to him. "We were in love before all of this."

"Leave him be, Mina," Endymion ordered. "You are free to leave at anytime, Kai, all you have to do is transform."

"I can't," Kai stated blandly.

"I saw you transform back at the Tokyo Tower when you touched her. Although I'm afraid that you might have been under her influence at the time."

"What difference does it make?"

"I'm not going to lose you too. I need all four of you at my side to defeat Beryl. If Mina here would cooperate with us I'm sure we could learn so much more." He looked to Mina being dragged by his side and she refused to meet his eyes. "I see you have nothing left to say."

"If you let go of me I'll cooperate," she said softly.

"I know better than to fall for anything you say."

"Endymion, please," her voice took on a velvety tone and her gaze softened, "let go of my arm. I'm not going to try and escape. You've won this round and I will submit to you."

"Your powers nor your words have any effect on me."

Her lips pulled into a straight line and her eyes narrowed. "Damn you!" she screamed trying to twist herself out of his grip. "My Princess will come for me and there will be hell to pay for this!"

"I'd be more than happy to take care of her," Jadeite mumbled to Zoicite.

"That won't be necessary," Endymion replied and Jadeite jumped at realizing his Prince had heard him. "We're here."

A smile formed on his face as his eyes took in the details of the foundation. Mina's eyes followed to see that the building they were headed towards was actually a temple that sat on a hilltop surrounded by lush gardens. The temple was made of white stone; the front entrance was surrounded by tall, intricately carved pillars and seemed to glow amongst the multitude of colors flourishing in the garden. Her eyes opened wide in recognition and she stopped walking despite the urging she received from Endymion to move forward.

"Let's go, Mina," his voice was firm.

"I know this place. Serenity used to visit you here and I would come to retrieve her." She took a step forward to move in front of Endymion and turned to point towards the edge of the garden where trees from the nearby forest sparsely lined the grounds. "That's where we met, when he teased me for my Princesses curiosity." A sad smile formed on her face.

Kai stepped forward and reached for her hand. As their bodies connected his mind was suddenly overwhelmed by the memory she was experiencing.

"Princess!" Venus chided.

One of Endymion's Shitennou stepped in front of her and spoke with a teasing smile, "It must be hard having a bundle of curiosity for a Princess."

Her eyes met his and she was once again taken aback by how handsome he was. Kunzite, first in command of the Earth army, was the only man she had ever shied away from. She looked away trying to hide her furious blushing. How did this man have such an effect on her?

He remembered this moment, the moment where he spoke to the blonde goddess. She had seemed so serious and he only meant to tease her to make her smile, but somehow he managed to embarrass her to the point where it had taken weeks for her to speak to him again. That was their second meeting. Their first meeting had been private and no one, not even their lieges, knew that they had agreed to convene to discuss this burgeoning romance. Somehow they had started to argue over who was better suited to protect the royal couple should they decide to purse things any further. He had been pig headed having never before met a female soldier and insisted that a woman could never do a man's job. In the middle of his sentence she reached for him and kissed him passionately effectively silencing his protests. As his arms moved to wrap around her he could feel her lips form a smile against his own and he realized too late that she had him. She withdrew his sword from its sheath and brandished it against his throat. The first time he met her she kissed him passionately, much like she had the first time they met in this lifetime.

Her eyes looked to him knowingly that he had shared in her memory and he pulled her against him tangling his fingers in her hair. Endymion held firm on her arm not trusting her enough to release her. Something had happened between the two and he could ill afford to take any chances.

"You saw it too," her voice came out softly as she leaned against him.

"I remember that moment, Minako," he said gruffly. "You were determined to protect your Princess at any cost. Much like the same vow I made to my Prince." Her eyes darkened at his further remembrance. "He's right, Minako, you are on the wrong side."

"I'm on your side, Kai, just like I've always been."

"Not always. I am one of Endymion's Shitennou – not a General of the Dark Kingdom." His eyes closed and for a moment he was encompassed in a silver light before emerging in his Golden Kingdom uniform. "I want to help you, Minako."

"This can't be, you wore my uniform before - how can you wear this one now?"

"Don't listen to her, Kunzite, she's trying to trick you," Jadeite said to Kai, unaware of the situation around him reaching a boiling point.

"I will not warn you again," Kai said.

"Stand down, Kunzite," Jadeite ordered.

"I do not take orders from you!" He lunged at Jadeite causing Jadeite to jump away with the sword still waving precariously in Venus's face. Kai's fingers reached out to touch her hand and he was surrounded by a silver light. When the light faded he had transformed into his uniform.

His body was encased in the grey uniform of the Dark Kingdom, a cape billowing out behind him. Venus's lips curled into a smile as she took in his image, the dark depths of his eyes telling her that he had not yet realized the change that had taken place. Dark spots invaded her vision as a sharp pain impacted against her skull causing her body to become limp. Her vision faded out to darkness as a bright golden light started to encompass them.

"You are connected," a new voice joined the conversation. All eyes turned to see a young man emerging from the temple.

"Helios," Endymion murmured.

"In the Silver Millennium you bonded your souls and it seems that the bond has held. There are equal parts of light and dark in both of you which causes the other one to follow. Under her you will fall to the Dark Kingdom, but with your strength, Kunzite, you can save her from the dark curse."

"There is no curse placed on me," she pulled back from Kunzite and attempted to jerk her arm from Endymion's grasp. When he wouldn't let go she moved into an attack stance and before he could react brought her leg up as if to deliver a roundhouse kick to his face but instead stopped short and drove her knee into his chest. The impact knocked the wind out of him and his grasp loosened just enough for her to finish pulling free. Jadeite unsheathed his sword and Zoicite formed an ice dagger in his hand ready to throw it at her should she make another attempt to attack.

Helios held up his hand and motioned for everyone to stop. Kunzite approached her from behind and pulled on her arm, causing her to spin and face him. She tensed to attack but he held her firmly in place with both hands. As their eyes met he understood the bond that Helios spoke of, it was the part of him that made him blindly trust her from their first meeting. Cautiously his fingers brushed against her forehead and her topaz stone appeared. The normally brilliant golden color appeared murky as if it was mingled with a darker stone. He focused his energy on her gemstone and her eyes widened in acknowledgement of what he was about to do. It was the look in his eyes and the shared memory of their first meeting that haunted her, holding her in place. The stone started to glow a more brilliant yellow and in a flash of gold her clothing transformed into her Sailor V fuku.

"What did you do to me?" she asked astonished, removing her mask in disbelief.

"I took enough of the darkness from you that you would be able to see who you really are. Endymion and Helios will help you with the rest."

"No they won't." Her voice was definitive and her mouth pulled into a wanton smile. "You made yourself more susceptible to the Dark Kingdom and for that I thank you. But more importantly you gave me an outlet to my powers." A golden glow began to envelop her and as she started to fade Kunzite grabbed onto her tightly, both of them disappearing from view leaving a slight golden haze lingering in the air.

"Where did they go?" Zoicite asked, the ice dagger in his hand dispersing back into the air.

"Back to the surface," Endymion replied angrily. "We almost had her."

"Then we need to bring them both back," Jadeite growled. "She and I have a score to settle of which I would be more than happy to oblige her."

"No, we need to do this without further violence. The more we engage her, the less Kunzite trusts us. I have a feeling that once she reemerges Serenity will be there to reclaim her. We need to be careful not to fall into a trap."

"Be careful, Endymion," Helios warned. "They are both unstable with the Dark energy coursing through them."

"We will, Helios. I want you to be ready for our return. We need to cleanse them both."

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Kunzite and Venus appeared in the park near his apartment, the rising sun starting to appear on the horizon casting ominous shadows among the trees. "Will you return to the Dark Kingdom with me willingly now? I can only assume that you have chosen me over your Prince since you followed me."

"I'm trying to save you, Minako."

"You've only made yourself more susceptible to Beryl's influence. The Dark energy that courses through me cannot be drained."

"There must be a limit to it if you're standing here dressed in your old fuku."

"He's right, my V-Chan," a woman's voice echoed from the air around them. Both sets of eyes looked around for the source of the voice to see Sailor Moon materialized before them, her dark clothing making her look like little more than a shadow on the landscape. "It looks like all of my concerns about your loyalty have been justified."

"I'm loyal to you, my Princess," Venus said urgently.

Sailor Moon sighed in response. "That's the problem, V-Chan. You're still loyal to your long dead Princess and not to me. But that was to be suspected all along." Venus opened her mouth to protest but was silenced by Sailor Moon's raised hand. "You've done what I wanted and you brought Kunzite to me, at least this hasn't been a total wasted effort."

"No, Princess, you won't have either of us," Kunzite spoke up. "We will not fight in this war."

"You still resist my Queen?" Sailor Moon mused.

"With my last dying breath I will resist her and I won't let you reclaim Minako in her name."

"Is that so?" She reached her arm out and a blast of Dark energy erupted from her fingertips heading towards them. He pushed Minako away from him causing her to stumble in an effort to reclaim her balance. With his palms facing out in front of him a shield formed deflecting her attack. A silver glow then formed in his hand and blast of energy shaped like a boomerang shot out at her in retaliation, knocking her back from the impact.

"Love me chain!" Venus yelled out, the golden chain around her waist expanding to fly out towards Kunzite. He reached his hand out and caught the chain causing it to uselessly wrap around his hand. Her lips formed into a frown and he yanked back on the chain trying to pull her off balance.

"She has forsaken you and yet you still fight for her?" he exclaimed.

"She's my Princess."

"She's going to be rid of you once she has me. Is this who you want to fight for?"

"I will redeem myself to her! Crescent Beam!" The attack flew full speed at him and knocked him back a few steps, his hand releasing her chain from his grasp.

"Minako," he exhaled, placing his hand over the singed portion of his uniform. Cautiously he allowed his eyes to dart over his side to evaluate the extent of his burned skin before quickly returning his gaze to her.

"We can be on the same side, my love. You don't have to resist me anymore."

"I will remain loyal to my Prince," he growled.

"Not. For. Long." She enunciated each word. "Love and Beauty Shock!" In one fluid motion she brought her arm against her body bringing her fingers to rest on her lips as if placing a delicate kiss on her finger tips then threw her arm forward releasing the deadly blast, the attack barreling down on him and throwing him off his feet to land on the ground. His body landed with a sickening cracking sound as his head hit a sharp rock followed by his body bouncing once off the ground before sliding to a final stop. His eyes remained closed but a pained expression was fixed on his face.

"V-Chan!" Sailor Moon yelled.

"He will give in!" She prepared to launch another one of her attacks but was thrown back by a blast of Dark energy from Sailor Moon.

"If you kill him he will be useless to us and this all would have been for naught!" She waved her hand and a portal appeared in front of Kunzite's still form. Nephrite and Jupiter stepped out from the portal and looked at the man lying at their feet. "Bring him with us."

"You're a fool for resisting," Nephrite mumbled kicking Kunzite's stomach area. The prone man grunted in response as his body moved from the impact but he did not regain consciousness.

"Nephrite," Jupiter chided. "There was no need for that."

"I'm just taking a moment to even out the score," he smiled cruelly. He crouched down and grabbed the other man under one arm while Jupiter grabbed him under the other. They dragged him into the portal closing the entryway behind them.

"You've done well, V-Chan," Sailor Moon smiled.

"I promised I wouldn't fail you," Venus smiled proudly.

"It's a shame that your victory ended up costing you so much."

"What does that mean?" her voice was alarmed.

"You can't come back with me."

"But I did as I was asked."

"I can't trust your loyalty, Minako." The other blonde flinched at the use of her name. "You've always been straddling the fine line of loyalty to my cause and Endymion's, but it seems as though you have decided to fight on his side in the end."

"No, that's not true! I fought against him."

"It's too late. I doubt that you have enough power in you to open a portal back to return to the Dark Kingdom anyhow."

"Please don't leave me like this," her eyes filled with tears.

"Redeem yourself and I will allow you your rank back."

"How will I do that?"

"Bring me Endymion." She jumped up in the air and was swallowed by a flash of darkness.

Minako dropped to her knees like a puppet with the strings cut, tears falling silently down her cheeks. A draft of cold air settled over her and shivered involuntarily, slowly wrapping her arms around herself. This betrayal caused all of her defenses to fall leaving her to feel helpless in its wake. She was chosen to serve the Princess and without that duty she no longer had the validation she needed. Her life was forfeit without this sacred duty. Cold hands landed on her arms and a warm breath was felt over her shoulder. "Have you come to finish the job?" she asked miserably.

"I warned you to be careful of him and his trickery. He has hurt you again and stolen your Princess. It seems to me as if she wants to claim him for her own," a masculine voice mused in her ear. "Perhaps he will become her consort."

"Isn't that what you wanted, Danburite?"

"I wanted him to suffer for what he did to you, but yet somehow it has happened the other way around. What will you do to him to repay him for his treachery?"

"His treachery?"

"He caused your Princess to turn against you. He allowed you to fall in love with him again. He has left you for her. Great power calls to great power, it is inevitable that they will find themselves together." Danburite smiled as his words took meaning. "Kill him."

"I can't," she wrapped her arms tighter around herself.

"You and I can lead the army of the Dark Kingdom together, we don't need them. Show your Princess your true power and reclaim your rightful place among their ranks. You are the true leader of the Sailor Senshi, they are yours to command."

"I am their true leader…." She repeated softly.

"My love for you will give you the strength you need to avenge yourself. Find Endymion and turn him over to Beryl – she will reward you and give you what you most desire – revenge."

"Revenge….."

"We will deal with Kunzite together when the time comes, and when we are done, I will take my place at your side where you will lead us to victory."

"Victory…." Her tears had since subsided and her face took on a stoic appearance.

"Be strong, my Love, I will come back for you soon." His lips brushed her cheek softly as he faded out, the cool air dissipating in his wake.

Time stopped for Mina as her mind replayed the events from earlier – Kunzite's touch and the power he welded over her, Sailor Moon's cruel words as she was shunned from her ranks, Danburite's promises of redemption. How long she stayed in her frozen position kneeling on the ground she didn't know, but it was long enough that the sun was closer to rising and soon people would enter the park out for their morning runs and pleasant strolls. She somehow wondered if anyone would notice her blanketed in her own sorrow. Three shadows converged over her silently all waiting for her to make the first move. Several more moments passed before anyone dared to breathe.

"He's gone, she's taken him." Her words resounded with a finality that echoed in the stillness surrounding them.

Endymion was the first to speak. "And what of you?"

"My Princess does not love me. Kunzite has made her believe that I am a traitor to her cause. She had stolen him from me." Danburite's words echoed in her mind. "Perhaps he will become her consort."

"What are you talking about?" He did not bother to hide his anger or jealousy at her words.

"Great power calls to great power, it is inevitable that they will find themselves together."

Jadeite and Zoicite awkwardly exchanged glances as Endymion kneeled down in front of Sailor V. He grasped tightly onto her small frame and lifted her eye level with him. "Tell me what happened," he growled.

The events played through her mind and she smiled to herself. "Sailor Moon appeared before us and she attacked him," her eyes filled with tears. "I tried to stop her, but I wasn't strong enough and she attacked me too. You have to help me get him back, he's all that I have."

"I will have to cleanse you with the Golden Crystal if I am to trust you."

"Do what you must, but please help me," she collapsed into his arms, her fingers curling tightly the black fabric of his uniform.

Jadeite snorted at her words and received a disapproving look from Endymion in the process. "How can you trust her?"

"We don't have any other choice."

Zoicite looked around nervously, "perhaps we should leave before we are seen by anyone."

"Agreed." The same golden light from earlier erupted from Endymion and enveloped all of them. When the light faded the spot previously occupied by them was empty. A tall shadow passed over the area before fading as well.

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"I want you to surrender your soul to me, Kunzite," Sailor Moon whispered over his prone form. "You gave it to me twice before. Perhaps you don't remember but I do. It is my legacy to defeat the Moon Kingdom and take this planet and Endymion for my own." His face contorted in pain as the Dark energy flowed out of the black crystal being suspended over his body. "Don't fight me you'll only make this worse. Eventually the pain and darkness will overwhelm your mind and you will have no choice in the matter anyway. Is it the girl that you hold on to? Would it change things if I brought her back? She is loyal to me and only me despite my earlier words. Oh Minako, you are always going to be the troublesome one aren't you?" His eyes clenched and his fist closed into tight balls as the last syllable of Minako's name was said aloud. "Oh it is her isn't it? I will bargain with you then, Kunzite. Join me along side of your fellow General and my other Senshi. You will lead my armies to victory as you did before and in return I will promise not to kill your little Goddess. I'm sure that you are well aware that I weld the power and the will to do so." His fists began to uncurl and the blonde above him sneered in satisfaction. A single tear rolled from the corner of his eye unseen by his spectator.

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"You shouldn't be here," Sailor Venus said to the slowly approaching figure.

"I'm surprised that you heard me," Kunzite mused.

"Despite what you think about women as protectors, I am a Senshi and I am always on watch. Nothing gets by me." He stood next to her on the balcony overlooking the gardens. Her eyes scanned the gardens for any possible threats to her Princess who was strolling on the grounds below her leisurely arm-in-arm with Endymion. "I thought it was the blonde's turn to play babysitter to your Prince."

"Jadeite's yes, it was. However I asked that he let me take over his patrol for the weekend."

"What you mean is you pulled rank to get your pass here."

"I asked nicely if it makes any difference."

"You knew that it was my watch as well."

"I did, that's what made this exchange all the more important. I want to apologize to you, Princess, I only meant my comment in jest, I never meant to embarrass you as I did."

"It is already forgotten, Kunzite."

"Then why have you refused to speak with me for so long? Have I done something else to anger you?"

"I am only concerned for the welfare of my Princess, there is no time for my own selfish desires."

"Surely your Princess would be sad to hear you say that."

"Then maybe you will be so kind as to not repeat my words to her." Several moments of silence passed between them and Venus fought the urge to fidget. Having him this close to her always made her uneasy. He was handsome beyond her imagination and had the most addicting scent to him that it took all she had not to melt under the constant watch of his cool gaze. He would never understand how she felt nor would he return her feelings – according to everyone who knew him it was not his way. How had she found herself in this unrequited love? They didn't even know each other yet somehow her instincts told her that she would be with him. Maybe if she were closer in his age he would give her more credit to her abilities. As it was he was only 6 years older, but right now it seemed as though it were 60. He stood tall and exuded confidence with every breath – why would he be concerned with a girl such as herself?

"I could be so kind if I choose," his body faced hers and he gently placed his hand on her chin turning her face to meet his. "Or I could offer my silence in exchange for your forgiveness."

She could feel her heart beating against her chest and wondered if he could hear it as well. Why did he have to stand so close that their bodies were practically touching? 'I could kiss him,' she thought to herself. 'I could lean forward over the small distance and bring our lips together. But would he laugh at me? Would he think me to be the weaker sex?'

Their eyes continued to meet, neither blinking nor deferring their eyes elsewhere. Venus brought her hand to rest on top of Kunzite's and leaned forward to kiss him. His free hand moved to cover the hilt of his sword while pulling back from her. She frowned as she noticed the new placement of his hand. "Do you mean to attack me?"

A small smile spread across his lips and her heart fluttered in response. "The last time you kissed me I found my own sword at my neck. I've learned that you can be a dangerous woman, Minako."

"Why would you call me that?"

"Isn't that your name?"

"Here I am known as Venus."

"But I prefer Minako, it is such a beautiful name for such a beautiful Goddess." His hand skimmed the side of her face, carefully brushing away some stray hair that had been displaced by a passing breeze. She looked peaceful standing on the balcony with the breeze ruffling the skirt of her fuku.

"Is that why you traded shifts? To come to the Moon and whisper these words to me?"

"I told you, Minako, I came to see you."

"And what would you want with me?"

"To do exactly what you have just done." He leaned forward to kiss her again, his fingers tangling in her hair.

She pulled back from him. "We can't do this, not here. Look for me tonight, I will meet you in my private gardens." Slowly she turned away from him and her long hair trailed through his fingers as the distance between them increased.

Minako's eyes fluttered as the bright light began to invade her vision. She looked around, taking in her surroundings and trying to reorient herself. A white, down mattress lay underneath her while a pale cotton sheet was draped over her. How much time had passed since Endymion had cleansed her? Nothing felt any different, her thoughts didn't seem any different. There was still a lingering loyalty to her Princess and a void in her heart where Kunzite had until recently been. Which man had she fallen in love with? Was it Kunzite her lover of the past, or was it Kai, the simple college guy whose life she had thrown into chaos? Either incarnation called to her equally, both pulling at her to save him. Mamoru had promised to help her rescue him and now would be the time where he would prove it to her. She sat up in bed and looked over her clothing noticing that she was still in her Sailor V fuku. It had been a long time since she had last donned this uniform but something felt different about it – it was almost as if she still wore the wrong uniform. But how could that be? The white one belonged to the Dark Kingdom and the only other one she had worn was this one. Hopefully the answers would be more forth coming in the immediate future. She needed to move quickly if she hoped to save her lover from himself.

Soft voices from the hallway carried over to her ears and she prepared herself as the voices came closer. Slowly the door to her room opened and Endymion walked in with Jadeite flanking him. "You're awake," he said with a smile.

"We have to save Kunzite, you promised me," her voice came out firmer than she had intended.

"I gave you my word that we would do everything in our power to help him and we will, but first things first. We have to bide our time and wait until we can draw him out. As we are now, we're nowhere near ready to storm their base."

"You expect me to sit here and wait?"

"Of course not, there is no way to draw him out from here. I want you to go home to your apartment and wait to hear from me."

"I can't stand by and do nothing."

"Trust me, Mina, I know what I'm doing." He smiled reassuringly at her although she did not feel comforted by his confidence.

"I will give you some time, but if you do nothing after that I will go after him on my own."

"That is precisely why Jadeite will accompany you."

"Me?" Jadeite asked astonished.

"You can't be serious?" her tone was deadpanned.

"I am, Mina. Now please, cooperate with me and go along with this. We don't have much time."

"Very well, if Jadeite would like to accompany me I wish to go now." She held out her hand for Jadeite to take and with serious hesitation and a reprimanding glare from Endymion he accepted it. Taking a breath she drew on her powers and once again transported from this place.

When Jadeite's vision cleared he found himself standing in a living room that was most definitely masculine in design. He looked around for any signs of where he stood and found that there were very few personal effects spread across the room. "This isn't your apartment, it's his."

"I didn't want to go home," her voice was saddened as she looked around the room, noticing that it was left in the same disarray. The blanket they shared still lay discarded on the couch and his report was strewn across the coffee table. He would never get to finish it now and it was her fault. This life would no longer have any meaning to him nor would his identity. She walked over to the couch and kneeled down on the floor, clutching the blanket in her hand. His scent still lingered in the fabric and for a moment she could feel his arms around her, leaving her with a warm feeling that Danburite could never give her. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" He raised his eyebrows and his lips curled in amusement.

"For attacking you. I didn't want to do it – well that's not true, at that moment I wanted to bring you back to the Dark Kingdom as my own – but I didn't mean to hurt you so severely. She never let me fight before. I always was forced to watch from the shadows while she sent out one of the other Senshi or a youma. I think I now know why. Despite my resolve my powers were too untamed and my desires too wild. He was the only thing I could focus on, the only part of my life that left me feeling in control."

"He had that effect on people."

"I guess you would know better than I would. You fought alongside of him."

"At times I also resented him."

She turned her head to look back at him. "You don't trust me do you?"

"I haven't been given a reason to. For all I know your Princess will show up in the next five minutes and you will jump at the opportunity to serve her again."

"Then you can rest assured she will not be coming for me."

"How can you be so sure?"

Her head turned back to look at her lap no longer wanting to meet his gaze. "Because she does not trust me. It seems that you both have something in common." She sighed in resignation. "But that wouldn't do to serve your cause now would it?"

"How's that?"

"Endymion is hoping that someone will come for me – I am merely bait for him to spring his trap. Despite my current state I am not so naïve to miss this. I'm assuming your role is to make sure that I'm not taken in the process."

"That about sums it up," Jadeite replied, stepping into the living room for the first time. He felt strange standing in someone else's home, yet at the same time it all felt familiar like he was back in the Palace. Kunzite's quarters had been very similar to those of his current residence. He only had what he needed but somehow managed to make the room comfortable despite its sparseness. A millennium had changed the man that he once looked up to from someone who was completely unwavering in his loyalty to the Prince to a man who had made a life for himself outside of his duties. As Joel he never had the opportunity to just be, his wealthy family had pushed him from one top boarding school to the next until he was of age and decided to take a break from his schooling. Once he had broken free he started tapping into his trust fund and traveling the world. There was something that he had been looking for that would offer the fullness in his life that he so desired, but no matter where he went it was always out of his reach. It was only a matter of time before he drowned himself in the high life and booze among the other trust fund babies becoming yet another socialite for the tabloids to spin tails around. Yet something stopped him from becoming this man. Something in his mind snapped one day and he was flooded with the memories of a lifetime that he had no recollection of being a part of. He had been a soldier in his incarnations, sometimes fighting on either side, yet his heart still clung fiercely to his one loyalty. It had been too much for him and he would have gone mad if not for the tall woman with the dark hair who had found him. Her face bore some familiarity yet he couldn't place her or remember her name – which she had somehow managed to withhold. She helped him to determine his true identity and his true mission. With his resolve firmly set he returned to his home in Tokyo to find his Prince that he was sworn to protect.

Perhaps it was in this lifetime that he would fulfill his potential and make up for his sins. If only he understood the extent of what those sins were. There were parts of his memory that he was still unable to access and when he prompted the dark haired woman for answers she smiled and told him that his self-discovery would come at the time it was needed. 'To hell with her and that answer!' he thought to himself. How would he fulfill his duties as protector to the Prince if he couldn't learn from his past mistakes?

His eyes slowly drifted back to the blonde kneeling quietly on the floor. She seemed resigned to her fate despite what plans were held in store for her. He vaguely remembered flashes of her from the Silver Millennium and in almost every one she was standing near his commander. From the moment they met Jadeite knew that there was something more to their connection despite their words of denial. His memories stopped at that point leaving him unable to remember how they were finally outed. Funny, for some reason he recalled that being an important moment but he didn't know why. Her body was completely still as if she had become a living statue. Despite their prior battle he felt badly for her – maybe they both shared in a loss that bonded them. She was willing to kill him at that moment, her powers showing their full potential when her memories were on the verge of being triggered by a name she could not remember - Kunzite. Yet somehow he wasn't ready to forgive her completely. Trust was an issue with her even though he knew that she had been brainwashed for a time. How could someone fight so fiercely against the Dark Kingdom then suddenly turn ally to the Golden Kingdom?

"Tell me, Joel," her voice broke him from his reverie, "why did you refuse to tell me about Kunzite when we fought? You knew of our affair but you tried to hide that from me."

"I wanted to protect him from you. I didn't know if you had found him yet and using your past relationship against him would have turned the cards in your favor."

"Our past is what made him a target for me. Our past is what made him weak against my influence. Our past, however, was not strong enough to keep him with me."

"You are the one who sent him into Beryl's open arms."

"I should be there with him, not here by myself, not him there with her."

"Why do you assume that he will accept this 'her' as his lover?"

"Because that is the way that it is meant to be. I wasn't strong enough to hold on to him."

"Who is she?"

"My Princess."

"The Moon Princess? She was in love with Endymion."

"She loves no one now. I thought she once loved me but I was wrong."

"Do you regret being cleansed by the Golden Crystal?" His eyes watched her carefully looking for any changes in her face or body.

"No. I don't want to fight for the Dark Kingdom, I want to rescue my Princess so that I may continue to serve her. Like you I am sworn to a life of servitude and without it I feel empty." She paused as if considering her next words. "There is a history in this battle that I don't think either of us ultimately realizes. I have bits and pieces of memories but not enough to understand it all. Before Kai I had no recollection of those days, but after him I started to remember things. I wonder if we had enough time together that I might have been able to remember more."

"I have a feeling over the next few days a lot of things will start to make more sense."

"Until then," she continued, "we wait." Her eyes darted over to the sliding glass doors noting that the sun was beginning to set. It would only be a matter of time before they made the first move using darkness as their cover.

Kunzite walked into the Princess of Venus's private gardens to find the blonde beauty sitting wistfully on the edge of the heart shaped fountain. She always appeared to be deep in thought when he would approach her, but he knew that she was always alert despite her appearance. Her fuku was a reminder to him that this delicate girl was anything but, always trying to prove the strength of the soldier within her. Once she had shown him that she had no qualms or fears when it came to protecting her Princess and it was enough to make him wonder what type of a sparring partner she would make. The gentleman in him would force him to hold back, but the soldier in him would compel him to fight despite her gender – which part of him, he wondered, would dominate in the competition?

No words needed to be said, without any type of visual confirmation he knew that she was aware of him standing there. It didn't matter how quiet he stepped or whether he stood upwind of her, she always knew it was him. When she was ready she would speak to him, until then he would have to wait. Patience had always been his strong suite, unless it involved her. Although after several moments passed he found himself itching to initiate the conversation with her. She was mysterious and he was drawn to her in these moments of silence.

"I'm surprised that you would ask to meet me somewhere so private, Princess." His voice came across low and deep, rumbling slightly in her ears.

"You don't need to address me so formally."

"Then shall I call you Sailor Venus?"

"No…." her voice drifted off and hers eyes still never turned to meet his. "I like when you call me Minako. It reminds me that every once in a while I am still human despite all of my titles and powers."

"Then Minako it is." Her eyes closed tightly the moment he said her name. "Is something wrong?" The concern in his voice only made her want to pull back further. What was she thinking asking him to meet her like this? What would the others say if they found them here? Was it worth the risk to her reputation for him? Of course. He was worth the sacrifice no matter how great the cost.

"What are we doing?"

"At this moment we are attempting to hold a conversation, although I fear that we are not succeeding."

She gracefully rose from her seated position and he watched as she straightened out her long form, her hair falling softly down her back. How did one woman manage to be so beautiful with such a simple movement?

"I fear that you are correct. Perhaps I was wrong to ask you to meet me like this. It isn't proper for us to be off on our own when we have our lieges to protect."

He closed the last bit of distance between them and placed his hand on her cheek. The action making her want to swoon as her heart started beating firmly against her chest again.

"I don't care about appearances, Minako. As I said earlier, I came here to the Moon to see you."

"And now that you have apologized what is left to discuss?"

"Us." He said simply and confidently.

"Us." She repeated, images of kissing him again floating through her mind. "And what of us?"

"I'm not sure. It seems like you are trying to avoid me yet your actions speak differently. I watch you, Minako, I see the way your eyes look over to me but turn away as I'm about to meet yours."

"I'm curious about the Prince's protectors."

"No, you're not. You're curious about me."

"Then I will stop."

"I'm not asking you too." His lips formed into a soft smile.

"And what is it that you are asking of me? To admit to feelings that I shouldn't have? Will you laugh at my words?"

"I would hope that someone who kisses so passionately would also speak no less so." She struggled to not blush at his words but despite her best efforts her checks still turned a soft pink. "I wouldn't expect you to blush so easily," he teased her, making her even more resolved to stop blushing.

"Because my element is Venus? You would believe me to be some seductress? Isn't that a bit stereo typical even for you?"

She moved to step back but was halted when his arm reached around her waist, his hand resting on the small of her back. He didn't hold her or stop her from moving any further away, he didn't have to. "I learned some time ago to never make assumptions about anything when it comes to you."

Her heart was beating faster by the second and she was sure that he could hear each echoing beat as it sounded against her chest. The throbbing echoed in her ears along with the baritone of his voice and the scent of him filled her nostrils, his warmth spreading over her skin. Within moments of coming in contact with him he managed to have this effect on her every time. How could this be?

"Can I kiss you, Minako?" His voice was deep and the depths of his eyes seemed endless. Words failed her and she merely nodded her head. Time stopped as she anticipated his kiss, his lips ever so slowly moving towards her own.

"Do you remember how that night ended, my sweet Minako?" his voice was barely above a whisper as he leaned over her sleeping form. "We stayed there the whole night. You fell asleep in my arms and we stayed that way until the sun started to rise. It seems that we have a pattern to our relationship. Something's never change despite the lifetime we live in."

"I missed you," she whispered in her sleep.

"I'm here for you now, my love."

"You returned to me."

"I'm here to finish what I started," he stroked her face softly with the back of his hand. Slowly his other hand brushed against her chest, slowly crawling up to her neck. She could feel a slight pressure as his hand rested against her throat which only grew tighter as his fingers began to push down harder. A feeling of dizziness and panic spread over her as she gasped for air with no success. She opened her mouth to scream but no sound came out. 'This must be a dream,' she thought to herself. 'Why can't I open my eyes?! Why can't I see his face?!' Her fingers scratched mercilessly against her tormenter desperate for air now, a burning sensation spreading over her chest.

She could faintly hear a banging noise in the background and the sound of someone calling her name. It couldn't end like this – she couldn't die without first fulfilling her mission, but she couldn't break free and the last bit of air was being withdrawn from her lungs. As the darkness overtook her she could feel her strength waning, she could no longer fight against his painful choke hold nor could she shake off the hand resting on her cheek.

A loud bang startled her and she could feel her lungs filling again as she desperately gasped for air, breathing in all the oxygen she could. Soft hands pulled at her own restraining her from her movements. Her eyes flew open and she was met with a pair of dark blue eyes. "He's gone, Minako," the voice said to her. She could barely hear him over the throbbing sound in her ears, it sounded as if she were underwater and the voice was travelling down to her from the surface. "You're safe now." The words started to gain clarity as the roaring subsided. Her eyes darted around the room adjusting to the darkness to find Joel sitting on the bed holding her hands, concern apparent in his eyes.

"Wha….ha…p..n…d…?" she gasped to get out.

"Someone was standing near your bedside."

"K..nz..te," she exhaled taking another deep breath. "It was….Kunzite."

"Perhaps, but something seemed not quite right. Something in his stance makes me think it wasn't him."

"He spoke to me before he attacked me," her voice came out throaty. "It was him."

Joel reached for the neckline of her shirt and pulled down on the pale fabric exposing her skin. She reached to stop him, unsure of his intentions but stopped when she realized he was trying to help her. "I don't know what you think happened, Minako, but it looks like you scratched yourself pretty badly."

"His hands were on my throat and he was choking me, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't wake up, I couldn't fight him."

"Come into the bathroom with me, I want to get you cleaned up." He helped her to sit up in bed and steadied her as she gingerly tried to get her footing. With her weight being supported mostly on his shoulders they made the short walk into the bathroom. He turned on the light and lifted her up, sitting her gently on the countertop while helping her to steady herself. Cautiously he started lifting her shirt, to which her angry glance effectively stopped him. "It's not like that," he said to her, partially annoyed that she would assume the worst of him. Her eyes continued to watch him closely as she helped him to remove her shirt. He grabbed a washcloth from the countertop and ran it under the warm water. All around her neck her skin was raw and bleeding from her nails scratching at her invisible tormentor. He gently blotted her skin with the cloth clearing away the evidence of the assault.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked quietly.

"Endymion told me to protect you. I couldn't very well go back to him and say that I was too busy watching Leno to be guarding you."

"That's not the only reason is it," she placed her hand on top of his holding the washcloth. "You wouldn't be doing this for me if that was all."

His hand clenched under her touch and she could feel a trickle of excess water squeeze from the wash cloth and down her chest. "Kunzite would have wanted you to be taken care of. I would have expected the same from him if our roles were reversed."

"I thought you said that you resented him."

"Not all of the time. We were friends, brothers even. Although when it came to politics we didn't always agree. Perhaps I was too rash."

"Thank you." She pulled his hand away and gently tugged the cloth from his hand, dropping it into the sink. "I promise you I won't make you regret your kindness." She slid off the counter and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging his body to hers. "I'm ok now." Slowly she unraveled her arms from around him and slid around his body to walk out the door. He let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The soft click of the bedroom door closing drifted to his ear and he turned to shut off the light and resume his spot on the couch. He wondered who the man in the room was. Mina believed it was Kunzite and it looked enough like him, but something still seemed off. If he wanted to kill her he was deadly enough to do so – this was a scare tactic. That hardly seemed like it was worth the effort or that there would be a higher cause for this. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea letting her out of his sights for the night, at least not until he figured out what was going on.

He walked over to the bedroom and knocked on the door waiting for her response. Upon receiving none he knocked again, this time louder hoping that she had simply fallen asleep and not heard him. After another moment he started to get the feeling that something was wrong and shoved the door open to find the bedroom empty. A cool breeze blew into the room from the balcony door that had been left open. The sheer curtains fluttered softly as the moonlight shone through them. She was gone, her silhouette barely visible on a neighboring rooftop as she bounded away. He ran to the window, transforming into his Shitennou uniform mid-step and out the door leaping up on the balcony railing and on to the fire escape of the building across the way. He moved with such urgency that he didn't allow himself the time to realize how deadly and impossible the jump should have been even in his transformed persona. She was moving rapidly across the city in her Sailor V guise and he could hardly keep up with her inhuman speed. The scenery sped past him but he took no notice in his surroundings. He did however notice that she made sure to stay in the moonlight and that her route was extremely indirect and had him zigzagging in nonsensical directions. Did she notice he was following her and was trying to lose him in the city? It didn't seem possible since he was so far behind.

Suddenly she dropped down onto the streets in a dark alley, emerging in a silky black top and red leather pants. She walked into a crowd and would have disappeared had people not instinctively parted to admire her as she passed. Even in her human form she was still an impressive sight to behold.

"I've never seen you at such a loss dealing with a woman before," Jadeite said to Kunzite as they followed after Serenity and Endymion, keeping a safe distance behind. The couple was so enthralled with each other that they wouldn't have noticed the two Shitennou even if they were standing in front of them.

"She's not just another woman. None of the Princess's Senshi are."

Jadeite laughed thinking of his own encounters with the Martian Princess. "I've found that out the hard way as well. I think we all did. Maybe you should bring her a gift the next time you visit as a peace offering."

"I can't imagine someone like her being won over by a piece of jewelry. She's worth so much more than that."

"Surely you are not head over heels in love with her already?"

"There's something about her that when you look at her you can't help but to fall for her. Her features are so perfect that it almost hurts to watch her for too long. He sighed shaking his head. "I don't understand why I am having so much difficulty with her. This has never been a problem before. With her it's like being in a maze or some labyrinth and every chance I take with her just gets me further off course and trapped in another dead end."

"Have you spoken to her?"

"Not recently." His face fell into a frown. "Apparently I embarrassed her with a teasing remark the last time she was here."

"A blow to a soldier's ego can be quite damaging."

"A soldier," Kunzite snorted. "Despite what we have seen it's still preposterous."

"I think that is where you have lost your case with her."

"Am I really taking advice from you?"

"It was bound to happen eventually," Jadeite smiled. "After all, it was only a matter of time before all of your wisdom started to rub off on the rest of us my fearless leader."

"You are so full of it."

"You need to go to her and fall on your own sword. Apologize and let her know that you were wrong. After what you have done to her ego I think it's only fair that you take the same hit to your own."

Kunzite debated his friend's words, trying to consider her as his equal on the battlefield knowing that if his own abilities to protect his Prince were called into question there would be much bloodshed in proving otherwise. "You are going to the Moon with the Prince for the weekend aren't you?"

"It's my rotation yes," Jadeite answered suspiciously.

"It was," Kunzite said firmly.

"I have plans once I get there," the younger man protested.

"You did and now you don't."

"I'm not going to allow you to pull rank on me Kunzite."

"I will give you a choice Jadeite – either I will go to the moon in your stead or I will tell the others about how you made a fool of yourself to the Martian Princess. I'm sure it will make quite an interesting story over dinner when they hear about how you nearly cut off your own foot trying to impress her with your swordsmanship. Although how you ever got yourself contorted like that I'll never understand."

"Fine. But only because you asked so nicely." Jadeite replied bitterly.

Jadeite jumped down into the same alleyway emerging in a pair of jeans and a dark blue collared shirt. One day he would try and solve the mystery of how they all managed to change the molecular basis of their beings to appear in different clothing. Surely Zoicite would be able to best explain it. He followed the path she took and found himself standing outside of a nightclub wondering what would bring her here of all places?

She stumbled through the crowded room as if she were desperately seeking something of great importance. The music was almost deafening as it resounded in her ears, reverberating through her body. Lights flared from the ceiling and reflected around the room almost blinding her in intervals. Bodies were tangled together in provocative dances and several hands reached out to grab her trying to pull her into the throng. She would allow for nothing to deter her from her mission save for one set of arms wrapping around her waist. His hands felt cold and she suppressed a shudder from the chill spreading through her body. He pushed her forward across the dance floor and off to the side into a wall, spinning her to face him. Their faces were inches apart and his hands were placed on either side of her body effectively holding her in place. Completely clothed in black he appeared to be little more than a shadow in the passing lights.

"I was hoping that they would send you if I showed myself," she said loudly trying to speak over the high volume of the music.

"You made it very clear what your intentions were. I will take you back with me now," he said into her ear.

"I didn't think she'd be able to break you, Kai."

"I did this for you, Minako."

"Your loyalties are to her now, is that where your heart is as well?"

"It has always been yours," his lips brushed over hers lightly.

"Why did you attack me?"

"Attack you?" She pointed to her throat where bruises shaped as fingerprints were clearly visible among the scratch marks. His fingers brushed over her skin and she winced from the pain that shot through her from him cold hands. "I would never hurt you." His lips were set in a firm line.

"Then let me help you." She reached out to place her palm on his chest but he was quicker and grabbed her wrist bringing her arm back against the wall.

"Not so fast my Princess. It works the other way around this time," he said pressing his forehead to her's.

She suddenly felt like a small prey trapped by a predator in the large room. The loud music would dampen her screams and the glaring lights made it difficult to see what was happening. He was stronger and faster than her when she was in her human form but there was no way for her to transform. If she pulled out her compact he would snatch it from her and break it into pieces effectively negating her from attacking. His green eyes were fixed on her and despite her situation she held herself in an aloof manner. She would not let him get the better of her, she would stand her ground.

"You're not going to try and escape?" he taunted her.

"You underestimate me."

"Not at all. You can be a dangerous woman, Minako, we both know this. Although be warned that if you try anything I will start taking prisoners and I make no guarantee for their safety or lives."

Her thoughts began to race and it occurred to her that she could use her compact mirror for an attack without transforming. Maybe once he saw his true image he would understand.

"You know how this will happen right?" she asked.

"How what will happen?" he didn't bother to hide the smugness in his voice.

"How I will escape from you." She leaned into him and kissed him. They both could see through her ploy but he allowed her the momentary distraction confident that he had her cornered. She slipped her hand into the waistline of her pants and withdrew her compact. He smiled and pulled his face back from hers.

"Do you really think you can transform before I take that from your hands?"

"Not at all. I have no intention of doing so, I only want to show it to you." She slowly lifted her hand, opening the clasp with her thumb. The compact fell open and she turned it to face him. A light started to glow in the mirror and he was transfixed by the image that appeared. His grip on her loosened and a look of terror momentarily fixed itself on his features. She couldn't even begin to imagine what image manifested itself in her mirror, but she knew that whatever was being reflected was the true image of the beholder. With a growl he reached for her hand and grabbed the compact, throwing it on the floor and grinding the pieces under his boot. She looked on in horror as her last bit of salvation was taken from her. She would no longer be able to transform and fight against the Dark Kingdom.

"What did you do?" he barked fiercely in her ear.

"It showed you your true image. Was it so bad?"

"Princess, you would curl up in fear if I told you what the mirror showed me. This is my true form just like that was once yours. It's a shame that you will never become Sailor V again, it was a sexy look on you. I hope that you are more willing to come along with me now that you are out of tricks." She looked forlornly down at the remains of her compact and was surprised to see an orange glow flicker from a piece of glass. "Why don't we go somewhere a little more private to talk," he sneered.

"Why don't we stay and play instead?" Joel yelled jumping on Kunzite. With a mere thought Kunzite transported the three of them to stand on the roof of the building. Kunzite flicked his free hand and Joel went flying off of his back to skid across the ground. Mina tried to pull free of his grip while he was distracted but with little success. Kunzite turned his attention back to her and transformed into his Dark Kingdom uniform. She audibly gasped at seeing him in this form and pulled back on her arm as he reached out for her forehead. A topaz gem appeared on her forehead and he focused his Dark energy into her.

"Have you really turned against your Prince?"

"My Prince has turned against his kingdom because of your Princess!" Kunzite pointed his sword at Minako's still form.

"I don't want to fight you."

"You don't have a choice, Princess. Either die fighting or on your knees begging for mercy."

"It doesn't have to be this way. The Silver Crystal can save you."

"It's too late for all of that. Now fight me!" He threw one of his deadly boomerangs at her and she barely dodged the attack as it tore at her orange gown.

"Would you really kill me?"

"I made sure that it was understood that you were mine, that none of my fellow General's could touch you."

"You're too kind," she muttered sarcastically.

"This is your last warning – fight or die."

She raised her hand in the air and called out, "Venus Crystal Power -!"

" – Make-up!" A golden glow enveloped her and when the light cleared she stood as Sailor Venus in her white and orange fuku.

"This is a new trick," he eyed up her new form.

"It seems as though we can finally even out the battlefield now."

"My dear, me against you was never a fair fight."

"Then what about me against you?" Jadeite asked, appearing behind Kunzite.

"The both of you are no match for me," he threw out his boomerangs in both directions and watched as both people dodged the attacks. He threw a few more boomerangs in Venus's direction to keep her off balance and then charged at Jadeite as his feet hit the ground. Jadeite was thrown off balance as Kunzite's fist connected with his jaw, the pain radiating with a strong intensity. Before he could react, Kunzite grabbed up Jadeite in a force field and flung him across the roof making the shield dissipate as Jadeite was about to hit the ground. His body hit hard and skidded across the roof. As Kunzite turned back to Venus he caught Jadeite's movements in the corner of his eye and quickly threw up a shield to deflect his fire attack. A barrage of boomerangs came sailing in Jadeite's direction and he threw his body to the side trying to avoid all of the attacks, even as one of the boomerang's slashed against his thigh. Venus timed herself and attacked with her love-me chain. The chain wrapped around him and flared in a bright glow. With a laugh he threw up his shield and the chain shattered to pieces as it was blasted away from his body. "Is that the best that both of you can do?" he laughed.

"Not even close," Venus huffed. "Rolling Heart Vibration!" the attack bounced harmlessly off of his shield and she ran at him. "Sailor V Kick!" She landed her kick on his chest and grunted in response. Realizing that her only way to beat him was in physical combat, she launched a barrage of attacks. Each kick was blocked by his arms as if he were able to anticipate her moves, almost like they had already done this dance once before. She threw her arm out and missed connecting her fist with his jaw as he ducked to the side. His hand grabbed her arm before she was able to pull it back and he held her firmly. Her eyes darted to the side and then back to him, a smile forming on her face. She jumped into a back flip, her foot connecting firmly with the underside of his jaw. As the pain rolled through him he released her arm and was hit from the side by Jadeite's fire attack. He stumbled forward as Venus unleashed her crescent beam attack against him.

"Enough!" he growled. A boomerang formed in his hand and he unleashed it in Jadeite's direction, the point embedding in Jadeite's shoulder. Jadeite fell to his knees clutching his shoulder in pain. His thigh was bleeding badly, his original injury being worse than he originally thought and this new injury only served to further weaken him. He would continue to fight even though it may end up costing him his life.

"Very nice work, Kunzite," Sailor Moon appeared next him. "I knew I could expect great things from you." She rested her hand on his arm in a possessive gesture. "You would never disappoint your Queen." Her eyes flicked to Sailor Venus's. "I'm disappointed in you, Venus, I asked you to retrieve Endymion for me, not fall for him." Venus's eyes narrowed at the other woman's words. "That looks quite painful, Jadeite. Perhaps I could help you with those injuries."

Jadeite pulled the boomerang from his shoulder, trying not to outwardly show his pain. "I don't need anything from you," he spat, the color draining from his face even as he spoke.

"We'll have plenty of time to discuss this later." With a nod of her head Sailor Mars, who had appeared behind him unbeknownst to both him and Venus, grabbed onto him. His strength was diminishing from his pain and he could not pull himself from her grip.

"It will be just like old times Jadeite," she smiled at her own insincerity. "Although this time I don't think you'll be putting up very much of a fight."

"But I will," Venus brought her fingers to her mouth posed to launch into her next attack.

"That wouldn't be very wise," Sailor Moon advised and suddenly Venus found herself surrounded by Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter and Nephrite.

"On the contrary," a male voice interjected and Sailor Moon looked down to find a red rose imbedded into the ground at her feet. Her eyes followed the direction the rose came in from and she found Endymion standing across from her behind Sailor Venus. "It seems like the odds have evened out some."

"You are outnumbered, Endy," she gestured, "And if you haven't noticed one of your only allies is injured pretty badly and in the hands of my Senshi. So unless you and Venus here believe you have the power to take on all of us, I would advise a quick retreat."

"Do you think I wasn't prepared for this?" he asked, raising his eyebrow and smirking. His hand reached out and closed around Venus's arm, pulling her behind him despite the protesting look she shot at him.

"You are willing to sacrifice one of your Kings?"

"Only because I'm going to take one of your pieces now," his eyes darted over to Mercury where she suddenly gasped out in pain. Zoicite stood behind her with one of his ice crystals plunged into her side.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered into her ear as his arm wrapped around her to support her falling weight.

"Mercury!" Sailor Moon cried out as Zoicite disappeared with Sailor Mercury firmly in his grasp. "You will not take her from me!"

"You're too late," Endymion replied still holding firmly onto Venus's arm.

"Then you are too late as well." She angrily signaled to Sailor Mars who then disappeared with Jadeite, leaving trace amounts of blood on the roof from where he had been kneeling.

"The next victory will be mine, Serenity," he stated before the golden glow enveloped him and Sailor Venus, flashing as they transported away.

"Sailor Mercury…." Sailor Jupiter said sadly.

Nephrite stood by with a look of disinterest on his face. "So now what of Jadeite? What will we do with him?" he asked Sailor Moon.

"Torture him. Make him tell us his secrets. Then, depending on how much he talks I'll decide on whether or not to let him live."

"Shouldn't that be left up to our Queen?" Nephrite asked. Something in his voice resounded with annoyance.

"Same thing," Sailor Moon said laughing, disappearing into a portal.

--

Sounds like trouble for Jadeite and Mercury! The next chapter is going to have some explaining to do! And did anyone catch the hints? I dropped a few in there. Stay tuned to find out!


	5. Chapter 5

Back with the next chapter - woohoo! This was a tough one to write for some reason so I hope it turned out ok... Another longish chapter, although not as long as the last one. Should I break these chapters up into smaller chapters or are these large updates better? Let me know otherwise I may start making the chapters even longer still! Haha!  
There are some big revelations coming up in this chapter, so read, enjoy and be sure to review! Lots!  
Thanks to my previous reviewers - as always it is appreciated (for better or worse otherwise there can be no improvement).  
Typical disclaimer...the characters are not mine but this story idea is.

--

"I don't know what happened – it didn't mean for it to happen this way!"

'Happen….what happened? Who's talking?' Ami wondered to herself. Her vision was blurry and the bright light above her made it difficult to make anything of the shapes looming over head. Objects moved around her and sounds drifted into her ears sporadically.

"Can you help her?"

"I'm doing the best I can."

"Answer my question - …….you…..lp her?!"

"This….n't….a….nce…She'll pull through."

'Pull through? Me?' Her eyes were able to make out two people standing over her. One had light hair and the other had dark hair, both distinctly male. A sharp pain shot through her side and her vision turned black and bright flashes of light marred her vision. 'Why can't I move?' she started to panic. 'Why are they hurting me?'

"You're losing her! Do….so….ing!"

"Move! I'm taking over!"

Another stab of pain shot through her body and her mind screamed out in agony before nothingness mercifully took over.

"If you tell me what I want to know this will all come to an end," Sailor Mars drawled as she knelt in front of Jadeite.

He sat on the cold floor with his back against the wall. The floor felt damp under his legs as the moisture started to seep through his pants. In a room no bigger than a horse stall with no windows he felt trapped. Light dimly shone into his cell from candles in the hall shining through several steel bars that barred his exit, keeping him from escaping. True to her word she had sent some of her minions to torture him, but none had been able to make him talk. He would not reveal his Prince's plans to this enemy – truth was he barely had an inkling as to what Endymion's true intentions were. Several scrapes and bruises now covered his body, leaving parts of his uniform in tatters. At some point Sailor Mars finally came in and gave his a body a reprieve from the beating it had been subjected to. He fought back at first, but as his strength began to weaken his tormentors were replaced with stronger ones. It was only a matter of time before they finally sent in Kunzite to finish him off he started thinking as Mars began treating his wounds. She had removed his shirt to better bandage his shoulder and cover the wound previously inflicted by Kunzite's earlier attack on the roof. At some point it must have started bleeding again which probably only helped to contribute to his weakness. The body could only lose so much blood before it started to shut down.

The chill of the wall against the bare skin on his back jolted him back to awareness and the direness of his situation. Endymion's plan had better turn out to be pretty damn good after all of this! "So let me guess," he responded snidely, "you're the good cop right?"

She pulled tightly against the bandage she was wrapping around his shoulder and he grimaced from the pain. "I wouldn't necessarily say that."

"Then why are you helping me?" he asked, trying not to cringe at the coppery taste of blood in his mouth.

"Because if you die from your injuries you'll never tell us what we need to know."

His hand shakily reached up to rest under her chin. "Then maybe I should let you know to just kill me now."

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she asked angrily. "Tell her what she wants to know and then you can join us."

"I'm not going to betray my Prince."

"You betrayed him before, doing so again would prove where your true loyalty lies."

"I would never betray him."

"Did he never tell you what he knows?"

"He's told me everything."

"He was lying, Jadeite."

"And I should take what you say to be the truth?"

"Why do you think he allowed three of his Shitennou to be captured? If he depended on you and trusted you don't you think he would want to protect you? It's not you that he's interested in having on his side – it's the Senshi."

"That's ridiculous. He's trying to rescue all of you from the Dark Kingdom."

"You shouldn't be so quick to trust him just because you believe that's where your loyalty lies."

"Why don't you do us both a favor and send in my next tormentor?" He smiled weakly at her and let his hand drop back on his lap. "I think I still have a few more beatings left in me."

"I tried to help you."

"It was very much appreciated," came his sarcastic reply.

She tucked the end of the bandage she was holding under the other layers and pushed down on his shoulder as she stood up. He grunted in pain and closed his eyes as bright spots invaded his vision and a feeling of nausea took over. "I'll be back for you later and we'll see what you have to say then."

"You may want to tell them to be gentle with my jaw then, otherwise I might not be able to tell you where to go when you return."

She jerked her leg out and kicked him in the ribs. "I'll make sure that you are well taken care of." With one last glance she turned and walked away from him. She waved her hand in front of the bars and several dissipated to allow her to pass. Once she was through the bars rematerialized locking him in his cell alone once more. He hoped that his healing powers would start kicking in before the next round began. It felt as though hours had passed by now but being locked in this dark basement prevented him from really knowing. He allowed his body to slump against the cold, damp floor no longer caring that his clean bandages were slowly becoming saturated with a mixture of his own blood and dirt.

Kunzite stood down the hall waiting for Sailor Mars to approach him from Jadeite's cell. Her eyes were downcast as if she were deep in thought as she came closer and he could feel his frustration rising as he anticipated her words. "Nothing yet?" he asked her.

"No. He refuses to tell us anything."

"And you couldn't convince him to do otherwise?"

"He'll change his mind soon enough."

"We don't have soon, Mars, we need him to talk now. Our Queen isn't happy after having lost two of her Senshi. You might even find yourself to be next."

"I don't want to hear idle threats from you, Kunzite." Her voice took on an ominous tone.

"Perhaps I was wrong allowing you to go in and talk to him. Maybe you do still hold a soft spot for him. There's no room for that here."

"You are hardly one to talk."

His eyes narrowed at her. "Tread carefully, Mars," he warned.

"I see the way you still watch her, how you still wish to protect her."

"Don't confuse my loyalties with yours."

"She will see to it that she kills you once she realizes that you are lost to her. It seems that you both are even in that department. I wonder who would win in this round."

As she moved to walk past him he grabbed her arm holding her in place by his side. He looked down to her using his full height and size to emphasize his point. "Your Queen has placed me in charge. The next time you go back in there I expect some answers." She shrugged off his hand and continued down the hall disappearing into the darkness. With his arms crossed he proceeded down the corridor in the opposite direction. He could feel like he was being watched as he moved, a feeling that he was becoming quite accustomed to. The sound of footsteps echoed faintly in his ears and he stopped walking. "You can come out from the shadows now."

"I feel at home in the shadows though," Danburite moved into the light and stood next to Kunzite. Both men eyed each other up for a moment before speaking again.

"You've been following me around since my return."

"Not all of the time. Our Queen likes to have her chosen elite checked on from time to time."

"And that's become your undertaking?"

"I have reason to be concerned."

"How's that?" His eyes narrowed as he spoke.

"I simply want to make sure that you are adapting well to your new environment."

"Your concern has been noted and you can cease in your actions."

"Is that an order?" Danburite asked nonchalantly.

"I outrank you, Danburite; everything I tell you is an order." Kunzite took a few steps away then stopped and turned back to face the other man. "And by the way, I want you to leave her alone."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, General," he feigned innocence.

"You attacked her the other night."

"I haven't been near Minako since she defected."

"You mean to lie to me, Ace?"

Danburite laughed. "That is a name I haven't heard in quite some time. It's funny that you would choose to use it now."

"And why would that be?" Kunzite raised one eyebrow.

"That was the identity I was using when Minako fell in love with me." He could see Kunzite's body stiffen though his face showed no change. "We have had quite the relationship since then. She is quite the little vixen in bed wouldn't you say? Or did you not have that same opportunity with her? It's a shame really. Maybe you should visit her sometime when she is alone; I can promise you it's worth the while."

Kunzite frowned at the other man's words. "Stay away from her or our next encounter will not end as well as this one." He turned and walked away, continuing on his path down the corridor. Danburite's words echoed in his mind and he could feel his anger rising by the minute. How dare this man touch and defile his Minako?

Danburite stood in the distance watching as Sailor Venus stood near the Earth Prince's lead Shitennou. He had been sent here by his Princess to serve under this man in an effort to fight off the evil brewing on this forsaken planet. How cruel was she to make him submit to his rival like this? He had never seen them together intimately, but the way that she trailed after him it was obvious of her attraction. This Earthling by all appearances was too self-absorbed to realize that this Goddess was offering herself to him, or to realize the importance of her devotion. Those of this war mongering planet would never understand what a blessing she was. The coward would probably never even see the battle up close instead opting to stand back and watch from a distance as most commanders did. Now, Danburite thought pitifully to himself, she would never know that she already had his love. He was nothing but a low ranking soldier in her army and she would never notice him in life or recognize him in death. It was the tragedy that was his pitiful existence.

Yet still he watched as his Goddess stood so close to this man. Despite her words to her troops and vows of eternal thanks for their services he could tell that she wanted nothing more than to have his attention alone, away from all of these prying eyes. Many of the onlookers were admirers of their Princess but were too lost in their own fantasies to see that she had moved on without any further thought to them. What was it that this man had that kept her so enraptured? He was human – not even of Venusian descent – she could never truly love him!

His eyes continued to watch her as she walked away with the other man. For a instant he thought he could see lust in their exchanged glances and at that moment he vowed to himself that he would find some way to win her love regardless of how many years and lifetimes it took. She would love him and forget about this fool. It would be him that held her close and it would be him whose fingers tangled in her long blonde locks. She would vow to love him and no one else and then he would have her in mind, body, and soul.

"How is Ami, Mamoru? Is she going to be ok now?" Venus asked anxiously. Several hours had gone by without any word of her well being. All she knew was that something had gone wrong and Ami's vitals were dropping fast. She wouldn't stand to lose one of her Senshi – she had to rescue all of them and keep them safe. This task was entrusted to her by Queen Selenity and she couldn't allow herself to fail, not when her princess' well-being depended so heavily on her.

"She's better now," Endymion replied sounding tired.

"I'm concerned that you are overusing the Golden Crystal, you're going to exhaust yourself too soon." She crossed the veranda to sit next to him on one of the white stone benches.

After the attack on the roof they returned to Elysian hoping that they would be able to cleanse Ami from the Dark energy that infected her. Although upon arrival they quickly realized that she had been seriously injured from Zoicite's attack. He only meant to stun her by catching her in the side with his ice dagger so that she wouldn't immediately fight back, but somehow he miscalculated his aim and she nearly bleed to death because of it. Fortunately they were able to heal the injury before it was too late and they lost her. Zoicite had been so riddled with guilt that he refused to leave her side despite Endymion's urgings. Venus, on the other hand, had her own battles to deal with and left the two men in trust to heal her friend. There was nothing she could do and didn't want to get in the way or risk hampering their efforts. Instead she wandered out to the gardens and reflected on the past few days. Her memories were slowly returning to her almost as if they had always been there but were somehow repressed. Despite these drabbles coming back to her, there were still too many pieces missing to solve the riddle of their past lifetime. Her mind continued to think back to Endymion's words from the other day – he mentioned that she had become Sailor V 7 years ago, yet she had no recollection of the past 6 years. How had she never noticed this before?

"I'm concerned that you're going to exhaust yourself as well, Mina," Endymion said softly. "You've been pushing yourself too hard."

"I need to understand what happened if we are going to defeat this enemy."

"If there's one thing I've learned it's that you have to let your memories come back to you on their own. You can't force it."

"But I can, Mamoru. Whenever I come in contact with Kunzite pieces start coming back to me. Even just dreaming about him makes me remember things. If we had him back I'm sure I would be able to make sense of all this. As he changes my memories change. When he's good I remember loving him, but the last memory when I faced off against him was of me fighting him. He wore that gray uniform and I asked him why he betrayed you. I'm afraid that in the end he may be beyond saving."

"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" he asked.

"I didn't want to distract you from helping Ami." She rose from her seat and wrapped her arms around herself, walking towards the edge of the veranda. Even with the warm breeze and the sun's rays shining on her she felt cold remembering his touch. "When I showed him my Sailor V compact he should have seen himself in his true image, which I hoped would have been as one of your Shitennou. I'm not sure what he saw, but it was bad."

"Where's your compact now?" Endymion stood and moved to stand near her.

"He broke it. I'll never be able to transform into Sailor V again. That part of me is gone now."

He placed his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her. "This is your more powerful form though."

"It doesn't matter. It's just hard missing that part of me." She could feel the warmth of Endymion's body as he stood close to her and she felt a tug at her heart remembering that Kunzite used to feel the same way. A shiver ran down her spine and she stepped away from Endymion and further out into the sun. "We need to go back to the surface soon."

"You can't defeat him on your own, Mina. He's too powerful for you."

"I'll figure out a way."

"Don't count on him deciding that his love for you is enough. You will either be brought back to the Dark Kingdom with him or die fighting."

"That might not be the worst thing…." Her words drifted off.

"Am I wrong to trust you?"

"I just want to bring them all back. We'll deal with your missing Shitennou as we go. Hopefully it's not too late for Jadeite."

"Don't worry about Jadeite, I have plans for him."

"What are you doing, Mamoru?" Venus turned back to look at him. "You seem to have ulterior motives for everyone."

"No more than you, Mina."

"What does that mean?"

"I know what you're doing here. I saw the whole exchange between you and Sailor Moon. Your version of events wasn't completely accurate. It just took me time to put all of the pieces together."

"This is nonsense. I have done everything that you have asked of me."

"You thought that you would be able to capture me if I trusted you enough."

"That's not what I wanted," she shook her head in denial. "That's what she wanted of me."

"It's the only way that you are going to fall back into the good graces of your Princess," his voice started to rise.

"She's not my Princess! My Princess hasn't been found yet!" Venus yelled back angrily.

"She's what?" he asked in disbelief.

"I don't know," Venus bit her lip rethinking her words. "I'm not sure why I said that."

"You must know something if you said that." He walked over and placed his hands over her arms. "What is it that you're holding back?"

"I really don't know," she shook her head as she looked down at his chest, her blonde tresses falling over her shoulders. "You can't hold me accountable for what I did under her influence. All I wanted was Kunzite back and I would have done anything to do that. He still loves me, that's why he wants to protect me but at the same time I can't help but to think that he has been lost to me. She wants to take him for her own and I am powerless to stop it from happening."

He pulled her against him and wrapped his arms around her. She relaxed into his grip and he gently stroked her hair. "I know, Mina." They stood there for several minutes, neither speaking. He just held her and for a moment allowed himself to forget that she wasn't his Serenity.

Helios walked out onto the veranda to find the couple in the garden locked in their embrace. He could feel the loneliness radiating from their bodies and wondered how they could find no solace in each other. Endymion had always been too determined to fall on anyone else as a crutch and there was very little that he knew about this particular Senshi, but between the two of them they contained the inner strength needed to overcome this battle. They made a very serene image, he was tall and handsome dressed in all black with armor wrapped around him. She stood in her fuku of white and orange seeming fully exposed yet he knew her body was no less protected than that of the Prince's. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Endymion, but Sailor Mercury has awakened and Zoicite can use some assistance in talking to her."

Both sets of eyes turned to look upon the young Priest as he bowed before turning and retreating back into the temple. Endymion stepped back from Venus and allowed his hands to drop to his side. "I'm sorry, Mina, forgive me for my trespass. For a moment – I -." Words failed him and instead of trying to explain himself any further he started walking away shaking his head.

"For a moment, Endymion, I pretended you were him." Endymion turned and looked back at Venus still standing in the gardens looking innocent in her sense of loss.

"Thank you," he said tipping his head in her direction and resuming his pace back inside. An orange glow appeared in the corner of his vision and he knew that she was gone without bothering to look back.

He walked into the makeshift infirmary to find the room in disarray as many objects had been thrown around the enclosed space. Upon further inspection he saw Zoicite holding Ami's arms behind her back with her chest pressed up against the wall. She squirmed trying to free herself from his grasp but only succeeded in kicking him in his shins, much to his annoyance.

"Once I break free of your grasp you are going to regret what you have done," she hissed angrily.

"I'm doing what's best for you whether you believe me or not," he replied.

"Holding me down like this is hardly what I would consider to be best for me. Perhaps best for you, you ecchi."

"Ami," he breathed in her ear, "I'm not doing anything that you haven't asked me to do before." He smiled as her cheeks flushed from his comment.

"That's enough, Zoicite," Endymion scolded. "She's our guest."

Ami snorted, trying to suppress her previous blushing. "More like hostage."

"You're not my hostage, Ami," Endymion responded.

"You have taken me in exchange for your Shitennou. That by definition makes me a hostage if not a bartering tool."

"I have made no requests for his safe return or preparations for yours. Rather I'm going to ask you to help me retrieve him."

"If I was caught helping you they would have me killed on sight."

"Under whose orders would that be?"

"Does it matter?" she asked bewildered.

"Would it be your Princess's or your Queen's, or maybe even Kunzite's?"

"Death is rather permanent regardless of the executioner wouldn't you say?"

"Zoicite, let her go," his eyes shifted back to meet the other man's.

"You have no idea what kind of temper she has. This mess is all from her."

"I'm sure Ami would be more than happy to have a seat and speak with us calmly if we ask her. Isn't that right?"

"Of course," she replied cautiously.

"You heard her, Zoicite," he watched as he slowly released his hold on her. Ami quickly spun around to face him, her hands drawn up in front of her. Zoicite's eyes quickly darted over to Endymion who acknowledged him with a nod. He put his hands up in front of him and slowly backed away from her watching as she carefully brought her hands down to her sides. "Now please tell me whose orders you are operating under."

"From all three of them," her eyes continued to flicker over to where Zoicite stood. "I don't understand your line of questioning. Do you want to ask me if Kunzite is still Kunzite next?"

Endymion smiled. "I'm quite aware of his status. I'm only concerned with that of your Princess's. Mina seems to have some questions in her mind."

"Where is that traitor now?" Ami's voice deepened, her teeth almost bared.

"I don't know. She has been given the freedom to move about, as will you once we finish talking. I do want you to understand what happened to her. Your Princess threw her away in exchange for Kunzite. It seems to me that she is more interested in my Shitennou than her Senshi."

"That's hardly the case," Ami laughed.

"Then why is it that no one has attempted to rescue either of you?"

"Why do you think we were all gathered earlier? My Princess wanted her back."

"No she didn't," came his simple reply.

"And how would you know this?" she demanded.

"Mina and Kunzite were both pawns in last night's attack. Serenity knew that Jadeite was with her, so she allowed Kunzite to go to Mina. He may have had the intention of reclaiming her, but the true plan was for Jadeite to be taken. Why do you think we were ready for you?"

"None of this matters," she said dismissively, but Endymion could hear the slight waiver of her voice.

"In healing you I have partially cleansed you of your Dark influence. I had no choice as that's the way my magic works. You should now be free enough to think outside of your compulsion."

"I do think for myself," she countered softly.

"I need your help Ami and you are the only one who can assist me. I will give you as much time to think over my offer as you need, but do take into consideration that our window of opportunity grows smaller with every passing moment. So please, rest yourself up, and Zoicite here will help you with whatever it is that you require." He looked over to where now Zoicite stood against the wall. "And this time I'm sure he will make every effort to control his urges." He smiled as Zoicite's face turned pink in retaliation for his earlier words.

_"Your Princess is dead. Why do you continue fighting?"_

_"Do you not mourn at all for the loss of your Prince?"_

_"I feel nothing for him. He betrayed his kingdom and justice was swift."_

_Sailor Venus and Kunzite stood across from each other with their swords drawn. Both opponents appeared to be injured yet they both stood proudly wanting to fight until the end. All around them the Moon Palace lay in ruin and bodies rested upon the rubble. In the distance Venus could see her last Senshi struck down by one of the Generals and it pained her to know that this truly was the end. Her home had become a battlefield and the blood stained her hands as readily as it did the ground._

_"He has not betrayed you. You betrayed him – you betrayed me!"_

_"I have given you the chance at salvation; it is only because of your will that we stand here fighting now. Surely you must realize that you are fighting a losing battle. All of your Senshi are dead and now there is no one left for you but me."_

_"While my Queen lives I still have hope. And as long as my heart continues to beat I will fight you with all my might."_

_"Then my Venus, I will have to stop that pretty heart of yours from beating any further. You will die a soldier just as you always wished." He charged at her with his sword and she brought hers up to block the strike. She would not win this physical battle against him and he knew that. There was only one chance to beat him and it would cost her dearly for her efforts. She closed her eyes for a moment and saw her Princess smiling at her, a gown of flowing white encircling her body. The image shifted and she saw her and Kunzite leaning against the tree, his arms wrapped around her as they shared their last meeting together. She knew what needed to be done and she would do so with no regrets. With renewed strength she opened her eyes and began her assault. With each strike of her sword he easily blocked like he was able to predict her next move. He had helped her to become a stronger swordsman and taught her many of her moves. There was no doubt that he was having fun watching her wear herself out. Training with him had been her greatest weakness in this battle, until now. She carelessly swiped her sword throwing her off balance. He was quick to pounce on this opening and ran his sword through her, puncturing vital organs on the way. It felt as if the air were being sucked out of her lungs as the pain began to overwhelm her senses and dark blood poured from her injury. She fought the darkness that tried to overtake her vision knowing it was too soon. Confident of his victory he yanked his sword out of her and she bit back the scream that tried to erupt from her lips. He smiled maliciously as he approached her, grabbing a handful of her hair in his hand like he were helping to hold her up. "I told you that you could not defeat me, my Minako."_

_She smiled as a trickle of blood ran out of her mouth. "I forgive you for what you've done, Kunzite."_

_"I didn't ask for your forgiveness," he said disgustedly._

_"I know," she smiled and pointed her finger at his chest. The molecules of his chest armor started to separate revealing his gray jacket underneath. "Metal is my element, I'm sure you knew that though." His eyes met hers and started to fill with realization of his grave mistake. "Crescent Beam!" Her attack powered up and blasted into his chest. His fingers uncurled from her hair and she dropped to the ground, her energy fully expended in that one last blast. He dropped to his knees by her side, all the color drained from his face. There was a gaping wound where his heart was and they both knew that it was as fatal as the one he delivered to her. "I never stopped loving you," she whispered._

_"Then you're a fool," he replied softly._

_"You promised me that we would always be together. Our bond will hold, and if you could see past this anger you would be able to find a piece of me in you….." A single tear fell from her eye. He reached forward and wiped the blood from her mouth. She smiled at his touch and closed her eyes, exhaling her final breath._

_"I can feel you in here, Minako," he whispered with the last of his strength. His body finally collapsed under the strain and he landed next to her. He laid there dying for some time with nothing but his guilt to remind him of his misdeeds. She was the last bit of humanity that remained of him and he killed her as thoughtlessly as he would swat at a fly. There would be no end to his culpability - even death would never put an end to his torment._

Mina's eyes fluttered open and she sat up in her bed. She wiped her eyes trying to clear the tears that had started while she slept. This new memory had been a painful one. There was no love between them, only bloodshed and death. He killed her. She killed him. In the end she had tried to forgive him despite his sheer hatred of her. How cruel were the fates that they would find each other in this lifetime only to be forced on opposite sides again? She looked around familiarizing herself with the contents of her room. An orange flower resting on her lap caught her eye and she leaned forward to capture it in her fingers. The orange blossom smelled sweet carrying it's meaning of eternal love and innocence.

"Please, show yourself," she requested of the air around her. The bed shifted next to her under a new weight. "Danburite."

"What's wrong, my love?" he brushed her tears away with his thumb.

"Why didn't you tell me what you knew all along? Why did you keep it a secret from me?"

"What secret?"

"About Kunzite, that he killed me."

"Who told you this?"

"I'm remembering things, Danburite. Even though he betrayed both his Prince and me, I still loved him with my dying breath."

"I loved you with my dying breath," he grabbed both of her hands in his. "You sent me into battle under his command and I died on Earth with nothing but utter devotion to you. I promised you that I would never hurt you the way he did. Now I hope you better understand why I'm insistent that we kill him."

She shook her head at his words. "I don't know if I could kill him again."

"You're not alone this time, I'm with you." He leaned forward and kissed her. Sensing her hesitation he pulled back. "I've seen him together with her. When they believe they are alone he kisses her."

"He wouldn't." Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"It is all a game, Minako. He will let you believe that he still loves you, but you can't trust his words."

"And what happens if we are able to kill him? Then what?"

"Then we can be together. Bring Endymion to the Queen and rule her armies in his stead. You are not as careless as him; you will lead us to victory."

"What if I like where I am?"

"You would leave me, Minako?" He dropped her hands and stood from the bed. "I have risked everything to help you along the way and this is how you repay me? I loved you and worshiped you without fail and now you would sacrifice everything we have worked for?"

"Please, Danburite –."

"No more, Minako," he raised his hand to silence her. "I will give you time to rethink your words and your loyalties." He stepped back away from her and disappeared into a cloud of darkness.

Footsteps could be heard from the hallway and she looked over to see the door opening. "Mina, who are you talking to?" Mamoru asked looking around the room.

"It was a bad dream, I was talking to myself."

"A dream?" he asked skeptically.

"No, a memory." She peeled back the blankets and stepped out of her bed. "He killed me in my memory and I killed him. Everyone was dead and we were the last ones standing."

"I'm sorry, Mina," he placed his hand on her shoulder.

"There is no time for self pity we have a job to do. I'm assuming that's why you're here."

"Then you would have assumed correctly. I need you for this next part and I'm placing an extreme amount of trust in you." His other hand moved to cup her cheek. "I can still trust you right?"

"Or course," she answered softly.

"Good. I'm going to need you to betray me then. Capture me for your Princess."

Mina's eyes opened wide. "Do what?!"

"Can you do it?"

"I don't want to."

"You're the only one who can do this."

"I don't trust myself enough. What if the compulsion returns? What if they take you?"

"It's alright, Mina, this will work. But we have to go now, there isn't much time."

"Much time for what?"

"We're going to teleport out of here and as soon as we reappear I want you to attack me." She opened her mouth to protest. "Don't argue with me, just trust me." His hands grasped onto her arms and he transformed into his Prince form. They teleported up to the roof of her building and her eyes struggled for a moment to adjust to the night. "I knew you would turn traitor, Minako," he pushed her away.

"I-."

"Don't make excuses, you've been caught!"

She took a deep breath and called upon her transformation. "Rolling Heart Vibration!" The attack flew at him and he attempted to jump away from the attack but was still caught.

He gripped his leg where his clothing had been singed by her attack. "Is that all?"

"Is that all?" she repeated incredulously. Was he trying to get himself killed?

"If you're not going to take this seriously you are not going to be able to beat me." He threw a rose at her and the steel tip brushed against her hair severing several pieces. As her eyes moved back to him she realized the folly of her error. He was now on top of her and she would be powerless to call on an attack. His fist connected with her stomach and she doubled over in pain stepping back from him. "I hope you realize that I am serious." Her eyes narrowed and she brought her arm up to block his barrage of attacks. His kicks and punches came at her so quickly that she could barely block each one and had to duck several times as well aimed blows came flying towards her face. She finally found an opening in his defenses and timed her kick to catch him in his knee. He fell back but quickly did a back hand spring to land on his feet.

"Crescent Beam!" The beam of light flew from her fingertip and blasted against his shoulder throwing him down to the ground. He struggled to stand again and she called on her love-me chain to encircle him holding him firmly in place. "Was that serious enough for you?"

"Do you really believe that's enough to make your Princess come back for you?" He sneered.

"If she's watching it is," Venus replied slowly, suddenly feeling cool air around her.

Sailor Moon appeared before them once again. "Of course I'm watching. I always enjoy a good fight, although I do find this to be a wonderfully surprising turn of events. Who knew that you actually had it in you, V-Chan?"

"You told me this was the only way to redeem myself," Venus said bowing her head

"And what a redemption this is."

"I wish to trade with you."

"Trade?" Sailor Moon laughed. "And what is it that you wish from me?"

Her hands clenched into fists and she looked straight into the other woman's eyes. "I want him back."

"For the last time, Jadeite, stop being so stubborn," Mars said helping him to sit up.

"I have nothing to tell you," he spat.

"Is it worth all of this to keep your secret?"

"There is no secret, Rei. The joke is on you, I don't know what he has planned."

She frowned in response. "I don't believe you."

"I certainly don't believe you," Kunzite said walking into the cell to stand behind Sailor Mars. "You were always the difficult one, I shouldn't be so surprised."

"I knew they would send you in here eventually," he glared defiantly.

"You can go now, Sailor Mars." His eyes never left Jadeite's.

"I was told to check in on him," she insisted sternly.

"And now you're done."

"I don't take orders from you."

"You do now."

"Always picking on the girls aren't you, Kunzite?" Jadeite said mockingly.

Kunzite reached down and grabbed Jadeite by his neck lifting him up along the wall. Jadeite grasped Kunzite's hand but did not have the strength to pull himself free. "You always have to have the last word don't you?" Jadeite gasped as Kunzite's hand squeezed tighter. His legs struggled to find the ground underneath them as he was being held just above the floor, the toes of his boots scratching against the surface. "I guess not this time though."

"You're a bastard," Jadeite gasped out.

"Be that as it may, I still hold your life in my hands. Do you wish to talk now or should I hold you like this until you've taken your last breath? I have the time either way."

"I have nothing to tell you. I'm not going to betray our Prince."

Kunzite's eyes narrowed and lost their focus as if he were distracted by a voice that only he could hear. He suddenly jerked his arm to the side throwing Jadeite across the room in the process. Jadeite hit the opposing wall and collapsed onto the floor in a thud. Mars crossed over and kneeled by him as he gasped for breath. A portal opened in front of Kunzite and he looked back to Mars. "Leave him, I want you to come with me. We are being summoned."

"No," she said defiantly.

"Then I will deal with you when I return," his eyes narrowed at her as he turned and walked into the portal.

"Bastard," Mars muttered behind his back.

"Leave me," Jadeite muttered.

"I'm trying to help you!" she replied indignantly.

"I'd rather lay here and die than accept your help at the cost of my soul. Now go." His eyes fluttered shut as his breathing continued to come out in ragged spurts.

"Fine, I'll come back later when you're more willing to be rational."

Jadeite didn't bother to open his eyes or to reply. Instead he opted to continue laying on the floor in total silence trying to will himself to not be swayed by his pain. He didn't know how much longer he would last in this place and didn't want to find out either. More time seemed to pass for Jadeite and in his current state he wasn't sure if it had been minutes, hours or days. A figure loomed over him and he sensed by the silence that this was someone new. There was no taunting or aggressive movements, just the feel of small hands assessing his injuries.

"I'm going to roll you over on your back," a soft voice said to him. "When I do you need to wrap your arms around me and hold on tight. I've never had to teleport two people before so I don't know how far we're going to get."

"Rei?" he asked, trying to force his eyes to open with little cooperation. "Why are you helping me now?" he asked as she rolled him over.

"Here we go." A bright light encompassed them, the brilliance almost blinding in the darkness of the cell. When the light faded they were gone.

"I want you to retract all claims you made on him." Venus held firm in her words.

"Do you think your value is worth more to me that his?"

"I want my revenge."

"For what?" Sailor Moon asked curiously.

"For my death."

"Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events," she rested her hand under her chin. "I didn't think you would remember that bittersweet victory of mine."

"But you were the first to die."

A portal opened up beside Sailor Moon and Kunzite stepped out. "I didn't think I would believe this moment happened even after seeing it with my own eyes."

"Kunzite," Venus breathed.

"It appears that you have finally come around in your loyalties."

"No, I'm here for you." Her chain dissolved from around Endymion and reappeared lassoed in her hand. "It seems we have some unfinished business to attend to. Love-me chain!" The chain flew out towards Kunzite but was deflected by his shield. "Coward! Fight me!" She took a step closer to him.

"Coward?" his raised his eyebrows in amusement and a thin smile crept over his lips. "You are the one who has retreated during all of our encounters. I would rather have you back at my side, but if it's a fight you want then a fight you will have." He flung one of his boomerangs at her and she threw her body to the side trying to avoid the attack. The boomerang circled back around and he caught it effortlessly in his hand.

"Kunzite! We can deal with her later," Sailor Moon interrupted.

"Is she your master now, Kunzite?" Venus taunted.

"I answer to no one," he growled.

"Save for your mistress I suppose. Crescent beam!" The attack headed straight for him and at the last second he vanished, reappearing behind her.

"Save for my mistress?" he repeated in her ear wrapping his arms around her. "I think the same could be said for you."

"Are you accusing me of having an affair with Endymion?" her voice was shocked

"No, with Danburite." She tensed in his grasp. "Maybe there are some things we need to discuss." He pulled her back into a portal and they vanished.

"Kunzite!" Sailor Moon shouted frustrated.

"It seems you've lost control of your army," Endymion said.

"No more so than you," she replied.

"Are you sure about that?" he smiled mischievously at her.

She glared at him as he gloated until realization started to set in. "You tricked me. This was all merely a distraction."

"I would never sacrifice one of my Kings. You should know that about me. It seems that the scales have finally tipped in my favor."

"You're not going to pull a fast one on me, Endymion. I'm going to stop that traitor." She jumped up in the air and disappeared into a portal. Endymion started after her hoping that he bought Mercury enough time.

Venus and Kunzite appeared in his apartment. She pushed him away from her, stumbling to escape from his grasp. Her eyes widened as she realized where they stood and she whipped around to face him, her hair swirling around her. "Why are we here?"

"Call it nostalgia," he answered taking a step closer to her.

"Do you love her now?" Venus asked bitterly.

"Love who?"

"Serenity."

"I love only you."

"Then why do you kiss her? Why are you intimate with her?"

"Intimate? I should ask you about your relationship with Danburite."

"He tried to protect me from you."

"And why would you need protecting?"

"Because he knew that you killed me."

"You're standing in front of me, Mina," he frowned. "You look well for a dead woman."

"In the Silver Millennium you killed me."

"How do you know this?" His eyes narrowed at her.

"I remember, Kunzite, my memories have been returning to me."

"I want to see what you know," he closed the distance between them and took one of her hands in his. With his other hand he brushed his thumb over the topaz gem stone of her tiara. "Remember for me," he asked quietly. She closed her eyes and all of her memories started swimming around like they were going to burst from her head.

"Why do you insist on keeping yourself distant from me?" Minako asked softly. She stood closely to Kunzite as they hung back in the corner of the room. The rest of the room continued to dance and celebrate completely unaware of tensions building around them. Queen Selenity had thrown a costume ball in honor of Princess Serenity and her engagement to the Prince Endymion of Earth. She wanted to ease tensions between the two populations and hoped that this ball would be a welcome start. Kunzite opted not to participate in wearing a costume and instead wore his Shitennou uniform. Jadeite had protested against wearing a costume as well, but after a few choice words from Kunzite gave up the fight and wore his costume as requested (or reprimanded as the case may be). Venus did not want to go against her Queen's wishes and was dressed in a flowing white gown, her hair pulled into a familiar set of odangos. A white mask made of silk and covered with pearls and lace adorned her face accenting the brightness of her blue eyes. At first he had teased her for her lack of imagination (rifling through Serenity's closet was hardly a mark of creativity) but soon found amusement in the looks they received from party goers who at first glance wondered why their Princess was dancing with someone other than her betrothed – the scandal that was sure to ensue .

"There has been no distance between us all night," he protested.

"Don't patronize me. You have been wearing that smile for my benefit all night. I want to know why you won't let me get closer to you."

"And how much closer would you like me to be?" he pulled her hand to his mouth and gently brushed his lips across her knuckles.

"Is this all that I can have from you? Kisses in corners? Do you want nothing else from me?" she said sadly.

"We are not at peace yet," his eyes appeared distant as he looked over her head, pulling his eyes from hers for the first time.

"Our sovereigns are to wed, that will bring peace."

"I know that you are not so naïve, Minako."

"Naïve?" she repeated, offended by his words.

"You know that there are those of my planet who will never accept nor recognize this union. The people of Earth are distrustful of the Moon populace and there is no way to comfort them or ease their fears."

"So rather than promote this union you will surrender to their fears? Are you really such a coward?"

"Coward?" he didn't bother to hide his anger. "I have led men into battles that you could not fathom. I have fought for a peace that does not want to be. I have killed hundreds in order to protect my Prince. In all this time I have never turned away or asked for anything in return. Everything I do, every breath I take, is to better my kingdom."

"A man faced with adversary holding his sword may be brave, but a man forced to come face to face with the reality of his heart can still be a coward." She paused letting her words set in. "Despite your words and your kisses you refuse to allow yourself to be intimate with me. Are you afraid of what might happen if you let yourself go? Will it finally cause you to break?"

"Princess, I cannot allow myself to choose between your love and the love of my kingdom."

"Do you think I have forsaken my kingdom?"

"You are a smart woman, Minako, I'm sure you understand the effects of your decisions," was his vague reply.

"If I cannot have all of you than I will have none of you," she pulled away from him and disappeared into the crowd. He knew his words hurt her and even more so he knew that he should follow her to apologize, but she was right – he was a coward. Her touch was enough to bring his walls crumbling down and with tensions running high he needed to remain strong. Tomorrow he would apologize to her before he departed from the moon. She would understand – they were both leaders of powerful forces – she had to understand. In the meantime he would continue to find amusement in the dirty looks he received from the party goers who watched him with anger in their eyes for offending their Princess. 'Minako didn't look that much like Serenity!'

"Why is it that you remember all of this but I don't?" he asked her.

"I don't know. Whenever I'm around you these memories come back to me."

"How do I know that you are not lying, or that these are hallucinations brought on by your exposure to the Golden Crystal?"

"Because in my heart I know they are true. I can feel that love for you and I can also feel the great sorrow from losing you. Maybe you were never meant to be reawakened."

"I was supposed to go my whole life without you?" he asked caressing her check with his hand.

"We're enemies now."

"We don't have to be."

"Are you willing to concede that you are fighting on the wrong side?" she looked deeply into his eyes waiting for an answer.

"I can't do that," he answered hesitantly.

"Then we can both walk away."

"I want to, Minako….but, I can't….she won't let me."

"Do you love her now?"

"No, I find her to be despicable."

"Do you kiss her the way you kiss me?"

"Beryl?" he did not bother to hide his disgust.

"My Princess," Venus added softly.

"They are one and the same. Did you not know this?"

"I don't understand. I have seen the both of them." Venus's face contorted into a look of confusion.

"Sailor Moon is merely a clone of your Princess. That is where the likeness ends. Her being is animated by Beryl as if she were a puppet. Of the five of you she is the only one who does not exist outside of the Dark Kingdom. Did you not notice all of this?"

"I didn't….I trusted her words. She has the aura surrounding her that I instinctively recognize to obey." She paused to further consider his words. "Tamamo-no-Mae, I was deceived." Suspiciously her eyes flicked to his. "Why are you telling me this? We're enemies; you're not supposed to be helping me."

"I am only loyal to the compulsion over me, but despite it all there is still that piece of you in me. This time I will try to hold on to this bit of humanity instead of killing it, although I make no guarantees for the next time we meet." He watched her carefully and leaned in to gently kiss her lips. Her eyes remained closed as he broke the contact and he leaned over to whisper in her ear. "You and you alone must find your true Princess." Minako gasped as cool air breezed around her and she opened her eyes to find herself alone in Kai's apartment, the feel of his skin against hers still lingering.

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Did you catch the hints? I left a HUGE one in chapter 3! There are still more twists and turns to come - this is only the beginning!  
Enough action? Not enough action? Overly fluffed? Needs more fluff? Your opinion counts!


	6. Chapter 6

Woo-hoo! Another update! Compared to the last couple of chapters this one is going to be pretty short. There has been a lot going on so I decided to dedicate this chapter to checking in on all of the characters. I know I've been somewhat neglectful of the other couples and I'm going to change that. There's going to be some huge revelations in the coming chapters and I'm just about halfway done with the next part. (I have more ideas than I know what to do with!)

Thank you to all my readers who have been leaving reviews. I'm glad to know that your happy with the progression of the story. I've been listening to your feedback and it's really helped me to pick a direction for this storyline. So please keep reviewing - I'm always happy to hear any feedback (otherwise I get off track and it may get ugly...). So without further ado and meaningless rambling I hope everyone enjoys!

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Rei and Jadeite walked down the white marble hallway briskly – or rather Jadeite pursued Rei down the hall as she kept her quick pace ahead of him. She was draped in a silky red gown that swirled around her with each step. He wore his Shitennou uniform, his cape flapping behind him.

"I don't understand why you're acting like this. It was just a kiss on the cheek," he protested.

"You know the rules, Jadeite," she replied firmly, not bothering to look back to him. "There is to be no fraternizing between the Prince's Shitennou and the Princess's Senshi."

"That's not what Kunzite said. He said we need to work together and pairing off wouldn't be a bad idea until we learned our way around."

"Don't patronize me. You know your way around just fine by now, this is hardly your first visit. I can't imagine Endymion would want someone protecting him who gets lost when he turns a corner."

"Perhaps I still find certain aspects to be confusing in their nature. I'm only obeying orders."

"I have no interest in what your Kunzite has to say. I don't answer to him."

"Then why are you running away from me?" He reached out and grabbed her arm bringing her to a halt in front of him.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at his offending hand. "I don't want another encounter like our last." They had reached the end of the hall and now stood in the doorway leading out to the Palace gardens. The Earth shone brightly above the moon's horizon casting the landscape in a warm glow. Her eyes drifted over to see the Royal couple approaching them with Mercury and Zoicite in tow several feet back, allowing the Prince and Princess some privacy. They seemed to have a pleasant banter going on between them, but Rei couldn't help but to notice the looks Zoicite slipped her when she wasn't looking. 'Has the whole moon gone mad?' she wondered to herself. As Serenity and Endymion neared she curtseyed and Jadeite nodded his head in a modest bow.

"Rei, Jadeite – were you both going for a stroll around the garden?" Serenity asked smiling.

"No, we were –" Rei started to reply.

"We were just walking through the Palace and Rei was giving me a tour. But since we're out here we would love to join you." He held out his arm and smiled charmingly at Rei, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. With mild annoyance she took his arm and they walked alongside the Prince and Princess. Rei could hear Mercury and Zoicite whispering to each other and without even hearing their words she knew that she was the subject of their discussion. At least someone was getting some enjoyment out of this situation.

"So how was the tour, Jadeite?" Serenity asked. "I'm almost surprised that you don't have the layout mesmerized by now."

"Rei has been a wonderful source of information during my stay. I'm not sure what I could do to thank her for her hospitality," he smiled broadly at Rei.

"I am simply doing my duty," Rei replied off-handedly. "Where are Makoto and Nephrite?"

"Sparring again I suppose," Serenity answered thoughtfully. Endymion seemed to smile with his own secret. Rei's ears twitched from the sound of Mercury and Zoicite's continued whispers. Whatever secrets she was holding out on, Rei would be sure to extract from her later.

"And what of Minako and Kunzite?" Jadeite asked.

"I don't know….."Serenity's face scrunched up as she tried to remember her last encounter with either of them.

"I'm sure they both have security matters to deal with during our stay," Endymion replied for her.

"Just forget about your earring, Minako," Kunzite hissed looking around to make sure they were still alone among the labyrinth of hedges. As they were walking through the gardens she suddenly cried out that her earring had fallen out leaving her unable to do more than to watch it bounce helplessly into some bushes which brought them to their current predicament. She was crawling through said bushes in her gown with her backside sticking out in the air. He had offered to help her look but his build was much too wide to crawl through the underbrush and she refused to let him cut back the hedge with his sword.

"No, these are my favorite earrings," she protested, her voice visibly upset as it carried from the undergrowth.

"I'll bring you a new pair the next time I'm here. I promise," he tried to reassure her.

"What does it say for my feelings if I can't take care of the first pair you gave me? Now either help me or stop protesting." Silence ensued for several minutes and he continued to look around nervously. "I found it!" she cried slowly crawling backwards. "Uh-oh," she mumbled coming to a stop.

"Uh-oh?" he replied calmly kneeling down by her.

"My dress is stuck and I can't get out of here." He chuckled lightly in response. "Don't laugh at me, this is embarrassing."

"I warned you against crawling around down there."

"What am I supposed to do now?" she asked, her voice sounding visibly upset.

"You can take off the dress and we can try and pull it free once you're out," he suggested.

"Are you making a pass at me?" she flirted with him.

"I'm trying to help you out of your current predicament," he sighed as she giggled. "I could rip the dress and get you unstuck."

"And walk back to my room with a large tear down the backside of my gown? Do you know how that will cause people to talk?"

"I will give you my cape to cover yourself."

"That would be worse yet," she groaned.

"How could that possibly be worse?" he asked exasperated.

"Because then people would assume that we had been off together."

"We are off together."

"Not like that," she mumbled.

"Oh," came his curt reply as the meaning of her words sank in. "Then what would you suggest we do?"

"I'll take the dress off," she mumbled almost incoherently.

"I'll give you some privacy," he started to stand but her hand flailed out reaching for him.

"I need your help."

"I just want to make sure I understand this first. It's ok for us to in fact be alone together but it's not ok for people to think we were alone together when we weren't."

"The longer you talk the more likely we are to get caught. Now make sure the dress doesn't tear as I slip out of it." There was some rustling in the bushes as she climbed out of the dress. "Here we go…."

"I'll keep my eyes closed."

"Well that's no fun," she teased.

"You are something else, Minako," he shook his head and pulled off his cape draping it over her back. She slowly pulled herself free of the dress and grasped his cape against her, blocking her nude form from view. He deftly moved at pulling her dress free and handed it over to her. Her hand carefully reached out to take the material from him and he diverted his eyes as she pulled the silky fabric over her head. 

"I'm dressed now," she said. He looked back to her as her dress still hung loosely over her shoulders. They were still kneeling on the ground and he found her to breathtakingly beautiful the way her eyes were bright with excitement and her cheeks were flushed. "Weren't you even just a bit curious?" she asked him.

"I wouldn't have been a gentleman if I looked," he smiled at her.

"That's true. Then you would be just like all of my other admirers," she smiled teasingly in return. "Can you help me with the back of my dress?" she handed him back his cape and he started to refasten it on his shoulders. "There are two small hooks that I can't quite reach."

She stood up and turned her back to him, lifting her hair over her shoulder to expose her back. Two small golden chains hung from the one side of her dress and he could make out the shape of the hooks to fasten them onto the other side. The material hung loosely over her back leaving the better part of her exposed save for the small of her back where the dress was bunched together causing folds to form over the backside of the gown. With bated breath he stood up, towering over her petite form and he could feel her inhale as his fingers brushed skillfully against her skin. He paused after securing the first chain and leaned over to kiss her softly on her neck. She giggled as his breath tickled her skin and he finished clasping the final hook. "Perfect," he said softly, the admiration evident in his eyes. She turned her head to look at him as his fingers lingered on her back and she gasped, her eyes growing wide with alarm.

"I hope we're not interrupting anything," Serenity giggled.

Minako immediately turned red and Kunzite stepped back from her. "It's not what it looks like," Minako quickly replied. "I dropped my earring and I had to crawl around in the underbrush here to find it."

"It looks like you have both earrings on to me," Rei drawled sharply.

"I do!" Minako exclaimed reaching up to feel both earrings. "I found it, but then my dress got stuck and I didn't want to tear it….and I'm not making this sound any better…." She looked around at the faces of her Senshi and Endymion's Shitennou. "I have to go," she stammered. "I'm sure there's something that the Queen needs me to do….." With one last glance back to Kunzite she dashed off across the gardens heading back towards the Palace.

"Minako!" Serenity called after her. When the other girl didn't respond she pulled up her skirts and chased after her.

"That's it!" Jadeite declared. "If he doesn't have to be discreet" he pointed sharply at Kunzite "then I don't have to be discreet!" He grabbed Rei and pulled her against him, pressing his lips firmly against her own. With a sharp shove she pushed him away and stepped back, slapping him sharply across his face. Putting on her most dignified expression she turned and walked away following after Serenity.

"Always the charmer," Zoicite laughed. Mercury at least had the decency to place her hand over her mouth to shield her smile from the others. This had certainly turned out to be an interesting patrol after all. Makoto would be mad that she asked her to trade.

Jadeite smiled as he rolled over in his sleep, the memory fresh in his mind as if it had only just happened. The memory that had been eluding him since the night he pursued Mina on the rooftops finally revealed itself to him. Kunzite had been quick to remind him that there was to be no romantic relations between them and the Senshi. He protested stating that Kunzite was in no position to speak after what they just saw. Even with all of the evidence pointing back at him, Kunzite still managed to win the argument. It was no wonder Endymion sent him out to handle all negotiations. Jadeite found it hard to believe that Kunzite had no relationship with the Golden Senshi – Kunzite had gone as far as to discuss his interest in her with him (and blackmailed him in the process!). She was beautiful to behold and he would have been lying if he said otherwise, it would be highly improbable that she could return his interest and have no intimate relations. This man was not made out of stone despite all of his pretenses. His feelings for Rei were no less intense and he fought with every bone in his body to have at least what little time together that they managed.

His eyes slowly fluttered open but immediately shut from after being exposed to the sunlight. After the time he spent in the darkness this bit of light shining in through the glass door of the balcony was almost blinding. Little by little he cracked his eyes further open trying to familiarize himself with his surroundings. His vision was blurred but he could tell he was lying in a bed definitely not his own with a soft hand brushing a damp washcloth over his face. With a shaking hand he reached up and touched the fingers of the other hand. "Rei," his voice was weak and scratchy. "You're here. Thank you."

"Shh," came the soft reply. "Just rest." She gently placed his hand over his stomach and pulled the sheet back over him. As she continued to wipe his face with the cloth she starting humming a soft tune that she seemed to remember from another lifetime.

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Minako stood in Kai's apartment where he left her, still contemplating his words. How could she have been fooled by a fake Sailor Moon? She knows her Princess – she would regardless of the lifetime. The important question is how could Beryl have a "clone" without having found the Princess? Did she encounter her and kill her already? Are they too late to do anything? Without the Silver Crystal they would never be able to defeat the Dark Kingdom. It was too soon to give up hope. There had to be some connection still existing between Endymion and her, but Kunzite told her not to tell anyone. Is he afraid of it getting back to Beryl that they know? It's bad enough that Beryl held three of her Senshi and three of Endymion's Shitennou leaving only herself and Zoicite to battle the Dark Kingdom. Mina sat in the middle of the floor with her legs crossed underneath her. Back in the Silver Millennium she remembered that Rei would meditate when she had some problem that needed solving and perhaps if she attempted to do the same the answers would stop eluding her. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and focused on her breathing, clearing her mind of all thoughts to only focus on her Princess. Several more memories of them laughing together and crying together and celebrating together flashed before her eyes. With each day she became more whole from the knowledge of her prior life and this only helped to make her stronger. A warm glow enveloped her and she felt comforted by the touch.

"I knew you would find me when you were ready," a voice resounded around her.

Startled she pulled herself from her trance and found herself sitting across from a silver haired stranger.

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Zane and Mamoru sat in the living room of Mamoru's apartment on separate couches. Mamoru on the larger couch with his feet on the coffee table while Zane sat reclined in a plush chair with one leg strewn over the armrest. "What do we do now?" he asked Mamoru.

Mamoru ran his hands through his hair for possibly the hundredth time and Zane wondered if the other man's hair would start to fall out from the constant contact. "This time I'm not sure," Mamoru replied. "We've worked so hard to come this far but I'm not sure my Golden Crystal can keep operating under this much constant usage. I have a feeling that's what the Dark Kingdom is waiting for."

"We need a plan. Sitting here and waiting to be found is not the best course of action."

"Then it's your turn to come up with a plan, Zane."

"Really?" he asked surprised. "I used to be good at this, I'm sure I can think of something."

"You remember being my strategist?"

"I remember you tripping over your own feet to impress the Princess," Zane smiled.

"At least I wasn't afraid to express myself when it came to my Princess."

"She knew. Nothing more needed to be said between us."

"I always said that about Mina and Kunzite."

"That day, when he said that there was nothing between them, why did he say that?" Zane started absently swirling the tips of his long hair with his fingertips.

"Because he never allowed for anything more between them."

"We saw him kissing her and the way he had his hands on her was like that of a lovers touch."

"On the rare occurrence that I was able to get him to confide in me, he explained the truth behind their relationship. I know that they were devoted to each other, but other than the occasional kiss or stolen moment it never went any further – not like with Rei and Jadeite or Makoto and Nephrite. His sense of responsibility was too strong and I can only assume she felt the same way if she allowed things to stay the way they were."

"He was an idiot." They both laughed at Zane's statement.

"Yeah, he was."

"I have an idea." Zane perked up suddenly dropping his leg from the armrest.

"Already?"

"Where's Mina?"

"I don't know. I'm hoping that she's ok. Despite what the Dark Kingdom has done to Kunzite I don't think he really wants to hurt her. Where ever he's taken her I'm sure she'll return from it. I want to give her some time before we start looking for her."

"You're really not concerned that she's been taken?"

"I can sense her somewhere nearby in the city. I don't know how or why but I'm always able to tune in on her."

"Only her?"

"Yeah."

"I need her for my plan."

Mamoru sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again. "We have to wait. I don't want to go anywhere until I find out what happened to Jadeite."

"He's in good hands."

"Of that I have no doubt," Mamoru smiled knowingly.

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"I can't believe that between the 4 of you he was able to escape," Beryl hissed angrily, sitting regally on her throne. "At least one of you was supposed to be watching him."

"Yeah, Kunzite," Nephrite snorted.

"Where is he?" Beryl spat.

"Probably turned traitor by now," Mars replied snidely.

"Silence!" she shouted. "I will not tolerate this! He has ignored every one of my summons. Nephrite, I want you to find him and bring him back here - now." Nephrite visibly nodded his head and stepped back into the shadows. "Jupiter, find me Mercury. Mars – take care of Venus. She has caused far too much trouble for me and I want her gone. I trust that you both know better than to fail me."

"And what of Jadeite?" Mars asked.

"I will worry about him, not you. Now go." She waved her hand dismissively and both Senshi disappeared from the room. Frustrated she grasped her staff tightly, banging the bottom harshly against the ground.

"I wouldn't trust their loyalties, my Queen," Danburite kneeled by her throne, taking one of her hands in his and kissing it. "It seems that your influence may be wearing thin over them."

"Do you really believe that they can escape my influence?"

"Those protected by their Guardian Planets cannot be tamed. You have to give them a demonstration of your power and defeat the opposition."

"You're not telling me anything that I don't already know, Danburite."

"If you want to win them over they must be conquered."

"And what do you suggest?"

"Kill Sailor Venus. Kunzite is not loyal to you, he is loyal to her. Without her he will no longer fight your control."

"And how do I know that this plan of your won't backfire? Suppose I were to capture her and make her my hostage instead."

"He may try to free her like he did Jadeite."

Beryl narrowed her eyes hissed with her teeth bared, her face appearing serpentine. "How do you know this?"

"I have been following him since his arrival. He was the last one with Jadeite. Don't you think it's more than a coincidence that Jadeite was our prisoner up until the moment you left? I doubt that you were gone for more than a few minutes yet upon your return he was gone. There were only a few people who had access to him."

"Could it have been Mars?" Beryl asked tapping her nails on her staff.

"No, she is confused. It seems that her memories are still on the brink of remembrance. I would be careful with her."

"It seems that her encounter with the Shitennou of her past seems to be awakening her. Perhaps it is better to have him back alive than rounded up and killed. I have Jupiter fully under my control as well as her lover. Perhaps you are wrong then about killing Venus. If she were back among my ranks Kunzite would have no reason to defect."

"You can't trust her not to turn again, my Queen. She has been exposed to the Prince's Golden Crystal for too long."

"Go and find me Jadeite. I want him here kneeling at my feet."

"Yes, your Majesty." He bowed his head and rose from his kneeling position to skulk back into the shadows were he appeared from.

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Things aren't always as they seem to be in this story.The next chapter will be posted shortly (I hope!). Thank you for reading and please review.


	7. Chapter 7

I'm back with another long chapter - woohoo! Please review and let me know what you think.  
(I'm keeping my author's notes short this time)

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_The grand hallways of the Moon Palace laid sprawled out before the couple walking down the hall. Her blonde hair and orange fuku stood out brilliantly in contrast to the dim lighting and the white and silver colors embedded in the marble designs. These halls that they currently patrolled had long since been forgotten by the Palace inhabitants, but not to this couple. They strolled leisurely towards their destination, for a few moments unhurried by Palace life. "Are you sure it's worth it, Minako?" the silver haired man asked her as they walked arm in arm. His voice was firm and held a fatherly tone that she had long since become accustomed to._

_"Yes, he is." The resolve in her voice was as short as her answer._

_"You've been remiss in some of your duties around here. I felt that as your Guardian I should be the one to talk to you before anyone else starts to notice."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"Is he more important than your Princess?" He could see the pensive look on her face as she prepared to answer his question. "I am here as your confidante."_

_This was a test. Everything was always a test. "No one is more important. I will guard her with my life." The answer to that question had been embedded into her mind long ago when she had accepted her responsibility as the head guardian to the future heir of the Moon Kingdom._

_"Then maybe you should end things with the Earthling soldier – the leader of the Shitennou as they are called. He poses as a risk to all that you have worked for. It's time to move on."_

_"I can't move on," her hand came to rest in front of her chest, her palm resting softly against the bow of her fuku. "He's in here now. We made a promise to each other."_

_"Please tell me that you haven't been so foolish as to invoke your Venusian bond?" She slowly nodded her head while looking down at the ground ahead of her. "Does he understand what you have done?"_

_"I think so. It's not something that I meant to do, it just happened between us. He said that he wanted it this way."_

_"You will never be able to part yourself from him now. So I pose the question again – is he worth it?"_

_She stopped walking and turned to face the man in front of her. "He is worth my life."_

_"Then it is done," the man shook his head and they continued down the hallway in silence._

Venus continued to stare at the tall man sitting crossed legged in front of her. His straight silver hair fell midway down his chest, several pieces falling back over his shoulders. The lines on his face showed a mixture of concern and overall relief almost making him seem older than what his actual age must be. She could not remember having met this man but somehow knew that he was someone that she once loved strongly. Cautiously her fingers reached out and gently touched his face. She pulled back quickly upon realizing how solid and how real he was.

He gently cleared his throat before finally speaking again. "Hello, Minako." A smile crept over his lips as he said her name.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"Because you summoned me. I have been waiting for this moment."

"Who are you?" her eyes studied his crystalline blue ones.

"I am your Guardian, Artemis."

"You've been with me from the start haven't you? I know I've felt your presence before, I just didn't recognize it for what it was."

"Yes, I have been with you since you were the magnificent Sailor V and for every battle since then. Even when I lost you to the Dark Kingdom I still stood by and waited till you were able to return to this life. I have been doing my best to protect you from their influence all along. That night when you were attacked in your sleep I was there to chase away the Dark force in the room. Jadeite almost caught me but I was quick to change into my Mau form."

"Mau?"

"My other form is to appear as a white cat."

"How did I summon you when I didn't even know that I was looking for you?"

"I am here to help you find the Princess."

"You know where she is?" her relief was evident upon hearing this news.

"No, I don't know where she is, Minako," he replied sadly. "But I'm here to help you find her." Before I can tell you anything more I need to know that you are completely dedicated to her. Are you prepared to sacrifice all else to protect her identity?"

"Of course. I'll do whatever it takes."

"You will have to let him go."

"Kunzite? I can't abandon him - I am the part of him that remains human. Without me he will fall completely under Beryl's control and I will be forced to fight him again."

"He is lost to you already, don't you see this? You must choose, Minako – your enemy, or your Princess?"

"How do you ask the Goddess of Love to stop loving?" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slowly exhaling, thinking over her next words. When her eyes opened they were full of resolve. "I will not let go of my bond with Kunzite. It is far too embedded in me even if I wanted to."

"You do not have a choice in this matter -."

"You will not take him from me!" she shouted. "Our love has lasted through millenniums and will continue to do so. Now please, help me find my Princess."

Artemis shook his head in defeat knowing that any further argument would be futile effort. "There is more to this situation than any of you understand. You have already fought this battle and won."

"I don't understand."

"The Senshi fought Beryl and she was defeated by Serenity and the Silver Crystal. You and the other Senshi gave your powers – your essences – to her and in the end ultimately gave your lives. Serenity wished for a normal life for everyone, she wanted all of you to be granted the chance for happiness and her crystal did just that."

"So Beryl can be defeated."

"That's not all, Minako; the story only begins from there. There have been other battles since. But first you will need to learn more about your transformation and only I can teach you. Please close your eyes and I will help you to access this power. Then and only then will you be able to find and rescue the Princess."

"Then I suppose that I got here just on time," Mars said, announcing herself to the couple sitting on the floor. Venus spun her head quickly to face this new presence. "Burning Mandala!" The attack flew out and hit them before they could move or respond. Artemis held tightly onto Venus's hand despite the force trying to push them apart.

"How did you find me?" Venus asked bringing herself to rest on one knee and ready to move in case of a second attack.

"It doesn't matter how I got here, it only matters that I'm here now and our Queen wishes to have a word with you."

"I don't care what she wants – she won't have me. I'm going to find a way to fix all of this, Rei, I'll make it better."

"Everything will be better once you have been dealt with. So will you come peacefully or do I have to bring you in by force? I do hope you say force."

Mina smiled. "Then I'm glad that I won't be disappointing you. Venus-," her wand appeared in her hand and she thrust it outwards. As she called upon her transformation Artemis reached out with his free hand and wrapped it around hers and the wand.

She stared in shock as he finished saying her transformation phrase, "Crystal Power."

A glow started to form around her and she understood what he had done. "Make-up!" Her final words completed the transformation and her usual fuku had been changed. The sleeves of her top were now a gossamer material that hung loosely off her shoulders while the bow on the back of her skirt had become slimmer with the ribbon trailing down to reach her knees. Her feet that were once adorned in a pair of orange heels were now covered in a pair of white boots that rose to her knees. She looked to Artemis acknowledging that it was his power that allowed her to reach this transformation. "It wouldn't be fair for me to fight you, Rei."

Sailor Mars pulled back her arm and her flame sniper appeared with the arrow pointing directly at Sailor Venus. "I will bring you back with me, Minako. It's just a matter of in how many pieces. Beryl never said anything about you needing to be alive."

"I won't fight you, Rei." Venus squeezed tightly on Artemis's hand and focused on her newly acquired powers. In the Silver Millennium she had been able to transport herself from one destination to another. Her previous weaker form did not have this power without the additional abilities granted to her by the Dark Kingdom. "This time I will walk away." A golden glow faintly intermingled with silver, encompassed the couple and they vanished from where they previously stood. The cocked bow and arrow faded from her hands as she walked over to where Venus had previously stood, her senses alert to the lingering power source that had been left behind. Knowing that she could not return as a failure, Mars teleported herself from Kai's apartment determined to search the city for the missing girl and her companion. As she moved about, she contemplated where Venus could have disappeared to. There was no real way to find her at this point, although Beryl and Kunzite seemed to have an easy enough time. Unfortunately she couldn't ask Beryl and Kunzite would take her confession as a sign of weakness. She refused to acknowledge his rank or his presence anymore than she needed to. There was something about him that she instinctively resisted against and try as she might she couldn't bring herself to understand exactly why. Some things, she debated to herself, must be unconsciously deep rooted. She vowed to herself that he would not have the pleasure of watching her fail nor would she take the fall for Jadeite's disappearance. His cold stare would not pierce through her leaving her to feel as unnerved as the others around her, she was stronger than that and she would prove it by capturing his "Princess" and offering her as a gift to their Queen.

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_He watched her from across the room, admiring how gracefully she moved as she walked alongside of her Princess. The man wanted nothing more than to fade into the background and continue to observe her, but his Shitennou uniform would never allow him that. He wore his uniform proudly as it was a badge of honor to him to have achieved his rank at such a young age. At times he would think to himself about how Kunzite, as strong and magnificent as he was, did not obtain his position until he was 19 – 2 years older than Zoicite's current age. It was fate that delivered all of them to their current lives, but he hoped that somehow it was something even more that brought him to this present status at his age. Otherwise, he thought, he may have never met the beautiful Mercurian Princess. She was everything that he could have dreamed of, yet she seemed to be so unobtainable to him. Her soft melodious voice carried over to him as she spoke with her Princess and he continued to admire how her inky dark hair contrasted beautifully against her pale skin. She looked over her shoulder to notice him staring and smiled before returning her full attention back to Serenity. His cheeks became tinged with pink as he turned away trying to make himself look less obvious. Surely she knew how he felt even if he was too afraid to vocalize his feelings. She was his first love and his only love._

Zoicite entered the room to find Ami standing by the sliding doors of the bedroom's balcony, watching as the rain fell in the city around her. She seemed serene standing there and he knew that she was absorbing the moisture of the air around her – this rain only serving to enhance her element and making her appear even lovelier in his eyes. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder as he moved to stand next her. Her eyes looked up at him with a mixture of emotions and he found himself even more entranced by her beauty. There was something in her features, a softness maybe that gave her a tranquil and innocent look that none of the other Senshi could compare to. Her inky dark hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves and he resisted the urge to touch it knowing that she might not approve of his intimate gesture. She wore a light blue sundress that only further suited her delicate appearance. He smiled at how short she seemed next to him. Having always been the shortest among the Shitennou (if one could call 5'9 short, although compared to Kunzite's 6'2 one probably could) it was not very often that he had the opportunity to stand out. He started to wonder if maybe he had been staring at her for too long when she smiled reassuringly at him. She reached her hand up slowly and tangled her fingers within the ends of his long hair.

"I had almost forgotten how long your hair used to be. In this life you always kept it so short that it made you look so much like Jadeite," she mused. "I'm glad that your transformation made it grow again."

Her voice was melodious to his ears so he paused, waiting for her to say more and felt disappointment when she did not. "Maybe something inside of me was rebelling against my past life."

"I can understand that."

"Do you hate me for the way I hurt you?" he blurted out quickly.

She tilted her head and studied his face. "I could never hate you. You did what you needed to do."

"Why did you come to me in disguise? Did you choose me or were you assigned me?"

"I don't really know," she looked back outside, listening as the thunder slowly started rumbling in the distance. The dark clouds overhead glowed in spots as the lightning fought to break through to the surface. Again she turned back to him and several moments passed before she spoke. "Maybe both. Mars insisted that she wanted Jadeite and none of us had any reason to deny her request. For some reason we were never given the opportunity to engage Kunzite and I don't know if it's because Beryl had plans for him or because he was maybe too powerful." She paused and listened to the thunder's continued rumbling. The rain seemed to pick up slightly in intensity as if it were competing for his attention. "Venus always scared me. There was something about her that I – I can't explain. She was fierce for sure and her powers were amazing to behold like she were somehow enhanced. Beryl kept her close, rarely letting her be involved in her plans and Venus didn't mind pretending to be herself in the off time – at least that's what I always thought." A bolt of lightning danced across the sky and the wind gushed forward sending a blast of water against the glass obstructing their view. "At times I wondered if Beryl feared her."

"And Jupiter?"

"She wanted to come after you; she thought that you would be an easy prey for her."

"So what happened?"

"I don't know. I wanted to protect the both of you, instinctively I think I reacted before any rational thoughts could be made and somehow I found myself with you."

"You blended in perfectly."

"I crossed the line."

"How?"

"I was only supposed to watch you. You were too close to Endymion and Kunzite, I risked exposing myself."

"But you did expose yourself that day at the University. I'm sure Mamoru knew who you were – even though I didn't."

"She was afraid. Endymion told my Princess that he would awaken you and she ordered me to stop the three of you from being together. I was thankful that he didn't want to make a scene with all of those people around."

"Were you or are you?"

"I don't think I truly was at the time, no." She shook her head and didn't seem to acknowledge the increasing sound of the approaching storm. "So maybe I should be asking you if you hate me for deceiving you."

"I'm willing to let you make it up to me," he teased her.

"We're not going to be alone for much longer," her eyes continued to watch the weather battle in front of her.

"Jadeite is out cold, I don't think he'd notice a parade coming through here," he cast his eyes back to his fellow Shitennou who was sleeping deeply on the bed behind them.

"It's the approaching storm I'm worried about." She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge placing her hand on Jadeite's forehead, then cheek, before returning it to her lap. "We need to get him somewhere safe. We're about to be found."

Zoicite watched her movements and felt a pang of jealousy as she touched the other man's face. It should be him that she was standing by and it should have been him that she touched, but now everything changed and they would never share in that intimacy he craved from her.

Mamoru walked into the room and leaned against the doorway. "You're right, we do need to leave."

"What's going on?" Zoicite asked.

"I felt a powerful disturbance just now and I'm sure it came from Venus. She's disappeared and I have a feeling that we're next. The Dark Kingdom must be making its move now that their numbers are dwindling."

Ami rose from the bed and stood near Zoicite again. "Of that I have no doubt. Go where you are safe and I will hold them off."

Zoicite whipped his head to look over at Ami. "I'm not leaving you here by yourself. I'll stand and fight with you."

"If they catch you, they will turn you."

"They're not going to do that."

Mamoru cleared his throat. "She's right, that's exactly what they are hoping for. You have to come with me."

"You would leave Ami here after she risked her life to help you?"

"She needs to do this for herself."

"Please, Zoicite," Ami interrupted, "he's right, I have to do this. Mercury Power!" A blue light enveloped her body and when it dissipated she stood in her blue and white fuku. "I had forgotten how it felt to wear this uniform," she looked down at herself carefully crossing her arms against her chest, then back up to the other men in the room. "I missed it. Now go before it's too late." With a weak smile she walked to the balcony and opened the door stepping out into the rain. She climbed onto the railing and Zoicite's breath caught as he watched her stand there for a moment with the elements around her and the wind blowing fiercely, ruffling the skirt of her fuku. Then, in a blink she was gone.

Mamoru transformed into his Prince form and walked over to lift Jadeite over his shoulder, grunting under the extra weight. Zoicite stood transfixed staring at the window. "Are you ready?"

"I'm just saying my goodbyes," he muttered to himself.

Endymion's golden crystal started to glow and in a flash he and Jadeite disappeared. Zoicite tore his eyes away from the balcony and transported away from Mamoru's apartment.

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_"You're not as fierce as you would like me to believe," the man with the long auburn hair taunted her._

_"Are you challenging me to another round?" she responded, pulling her long hair into her preferred ponytail._

_"I'm always looking for a new opponent," he answered back, slowly circling her and finally coming to a stop on her right side, just slightly behind her._

_"Do you feel the way that your leader does about women as soldiers?" her voice rose slightly in pitch._

_"He has his own issues with women that the rest of us choose not to get involved in. I, on the other hand, am an admirer of women." He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders, still standing behind her. "When I see you, I see all of you. You are a soldier, it's written clearly in your eyes. But underneath that you are still a woman who wants to be appreciated for her beauty."_

_"Is that what you see?" she laughed._

_"I want to see more of you, Makoto," he whispered in her ear, gently placing a kiss by her earlobe. His words caused her to stop laughing and to turn her head to look back at him. Her emerald eyes were wide as she watched the smile spread over his face like a Cheshire cat. "A lot more."_

_She could feel her heart beating strongly in her chest and could do little more than nod her head dumbly as she was caught in the depths of his eyes._

Mercury stood on the roof of Mamoru's building watching the sky. The lightning flashed in all directions with thunder claps constantly sounding off and echoing around her. She closed her eyes ignoring the rain pelting against her and then suddenly sprang from her perch to the next roof. Lightning struck the ground where she previously stood leaving a smoldering charred area in her wake. Quickly she bounded over to the next building and then onto the fire escape. Wasting no time she hopped to a lower level of the fire escape on the next building and then back again until she was able to land on the ground. She took off running down the alley and into the safety of the nearby park. The storm had chased away the crowds and she found herself alone in the clearing. All the better she thought as she crouched down falling back on one knee, her fingertips spread wide on the muddy ground beneath her. Several minutes passed without her moving yet she continued to wait until she was finally met with a familiar face.

"Mercury." More thunder rumbled.

"Jupiter." The rain continued to pick up in intensity.

"This is an impressive show that you put on," she gestured to the weather around her.

"I could say the same for you." A bright bolt of lightning flashed illuminating both opponents before fading again. "I suppose we should do this and get it over with now."

"You're not going to ask for forgiveness?" Jupiter taunted.

"No." Mercury replied with little interest.

"I'm surprised. I would have thought something like that was above you. It's a shame that it will be your final act."

"Would you like to make the first move or should I?" Mercury asked.

"Coconut Cyclone!" The attack flew at Mercury and she braced herself, letting the attack hit her full on. "Fight back."

"I am."

"Where's your little computer, Mercury?" Jupiter asked sarcastically. "Don't you want to analyze my attack? See where the next one is coming from?"

"I'm not worried about that, Jupiter."

Jupiter squinted her eyes in annoyance at Mercury's responses. She would not fight back against any attacks, but maybe would she respond to words. "Then maybe you should be worried about Zoicite. He's next on my list you know."

"Is he now?" Ami smiled softly though her concentration still seemed to be elsewhere.

"Flower Hurricane!" The attack brutally hit Mercury and she grimaced at the barrage from the assault.

"Shabon Spray," Mercury whispered softly and the air began to fill with a thick mist.

"You think that's going to stop me?!" Jupiter shouted. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" the lightning formed into a ball in her hand and she prepared to launch it at her opponent, unfortunately she would never have the chance to release it.

"No, Jupiter, but this will." In Jupiter's haste she failed to notice that the wet ground around her had become a field of ice. At Mercury's command the ice quickly closed in on Jupiter and encased her body up to her chest, the moisture in the air only serving to thicken the coat of ice. Her outstretched arms still contained the lightning attack which finally exploded under the pressure and spread over her body, the dampness from the ice acting as a conductor for the electricity. Jupiter cried out in pain as the attack shocked her repeatedly until the ice finally shattered around her. A brilliant flash surrounded her as the lightning was allowed to release itself back into the atmosphere. The rumbling of thunder started to fade and with one last flicker of lightning the storm had dissipated leaving only the pouring rain to fall down on the rain soaked Senshi and the brilliant emerald stone across from her. Mercury finally stood from her kneeling position and crossed over to pick up the emerald, oblivious to her own injuries. The rain began to subside into nothing more than a slow drizzle and Mercury sobbed quietly while clutching the stone to her chest.

"This is your victory, Mercury, I can't imagine why you would be crying instead of celebrating," a masculine voice was heard behind her.

"A short lived victory I imagine," she replied, identifying the voice without turning to confirm his identity.

"I warned her about brazenly attacking you like this, but she never listens. Marvelous bravado, but not much else. Personally I thought the storm was a little much – it took away the element of surprise. I guess she thought you to be an easy enough target. How ingenious of you though risking the battle to form that ice field around her. It's a shame that now you're going to die on it as well."

"Do as you must, Nephrite, but I am a part of something so much bigger now. Would you like to see for yourself?"

"Are you stalling for time? Do you think I will fall for your ice tricks? My dear," he unsheathed his sword, "I have a much more effective way of dealing with you. Experience has taught me to take the direct approach – Kunzite would be so proud."

"Then all I ask of you is to take this stone and return it to my Princess," Mercury turned to face Nephrite with her hand outstretched, the emerald shining in her palm.

Nephrite smiled wantonly as he reached out and grabbed the stone from her hand. As his fingers closed around the Emerald she grabbed his hand and a green light began to emanate from the stone. Mercury's eyes widened at in astonishment but then gasped as the glow began to fade and the precious gem became nothing more than a dull earthen tone. Nephrite's hand closed around the emerald tightly and he raised the sword to Mercury ready to strike her down. She stood there with her eyes closed offering no defense to avoid his killing blow. "Pathetic," he spat and swung the blade down. It stopped inches from her neck as he suddenly gasped and a trickle of blood began to flow from the corner of his mouth. Mercury opened her eyes to see several ice shards protruding through his chest. Most had been strategically thrown to hit his vital organs and she could hear the sound of the man in front of her drowning in his own blood as his lungs filled with the sticky fluid. He dropped to his knees, still grasping the sword tightly in his hand. With the smile of a mad man he fell face down at her feet, a small circle of blood drifting towards her blue boots. Zoicite stood behind the now fallen man with a mixed look of fury and disgust in his eyes, so much so that she hardly recognized his face. A black glow (if it could be described as that) overtook Nephrite's body and when it faded there was only a green jade stone to mark his existence along side of the emerald he had been clutching only seconds earlier. Zoicite approached Mercury and stopped to pick up both stones, carefully looking them over before placing them in his pocket.

"You're here," she said astonished.

"I couldn't leave you to fight this on your own," he reached for her hand and held it tightly between his own.

"What about Endymion?"

"He understands that I needed to do this."

"I don't know what to do now. I killed one of my own, how can I ever ask my Princess for her forgiveness?"

"The same way that one day I will ask my Prince for his."

"I'm not sure where to go from here. Beryl will come after me, she knows what I did."

"And I will forever be in your debt for doing so." She stared at his hands remaining silent. "Ami, I never had the chance to tell you how I -."

She shook her head effectively silencing him. "I know. Now that I am free of Beryl I've been able to restore some of my memories."

"Good." He smiled at her. "If we stay together we can protect each other."

"And where do we go in the meantime?" she asked, her eyes meeting his.

"We keep moving." He could see the battle raging in her eyes and he wished that he had the words to comfort her. Endymion never purged her of the Dark Kingdom's influence with his Golden Crystal as he had Venus. Mercury had been altered by his healing powers and that had been enough to make her understand her past. How much she knew he wasn't certain and probably never would be. She still harbored that dark side to her along with the powers she had been granted by Beryl. What he wondered was how Endymion knew that she would help him? Or was he lucky that she had been so willing? Zoicite found himself amazed at how Endymion seemed to be moving them around like pieces on a chess board and bluffing through his moves like he would in a game of poker. Did he really have this planned out or was he risking all of their lives for this Princess that he loved a lifetime ago? "I'm not going to fight this battle without you," he murmured leaning in to kiss the corner of nose and resting their foreheads against each others. His arms enclosed her pressing her delicate body against his and he transported them away. Slowly the clouds overhead started to clear and the light drizzle faded as the sun began to shine through, triumphing as the battle between gods came to an end.

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_"I'm not apologizing," Jadeite crossed his arms stubbornly as he sat in an opposing chair across from the Martian Princess._

_"I wouldn't expect you to," she countered._

_"Then why have you asked for this private meeting?" His hand gestured widely as if trying to show the importance of being asked to her room. Despite the light shining through the windows, the room still had a dark appearances – this was mostly accentuated by the dark maroon colors that decorated her bed and even covered the seats they were currently occupying. Under normal circumstances the room would have a very alluring appearance, but Jadeite's frustration blocked out any other thoughts than those immediately at hand._

_"Because you are leaving soon."_

_"I thought there were rules against you Senshi having male visitors in your bedrooms."_

_Rei hesitated before answering. "Not completely. The Moon Princess may not have anyone in her rooms save for her Guardians. Her Senshi on the other hand are permitted to do as we choose as long as we are not….flagrant in our actions."_

_"And what about the ban on us?" he gestured to the both of them with his free hand._

_"I still don't care about what your Kunzite has to say. I don't answer to him."_

_"What do you want from me, Rei?" he asked standing from his seat. "You hold me at a distance but when I am ready to give up you pull me back in."_

_"It's not that simple, Jadeite."_

_"That's not my name really."_

_"It's not?" she asked, her curiosity piqued._

_"No. Much like the Senshi these are our official names."_

_"Am I the only one to not know about this?"_

_"You are the only one to know about this. None of the others have shared this with the other Senshi."_

_"Then why are you telling me this now?"_

_"Because I want to be with you, Rei." He walked over and kneeled in front of her, holding both of her hands in his. "From the moment I met you I've had these feelings, but I'm not sure if I should pursue them any further. It's up to you, Rei, what should I do?" His blue eyes had softened, yet still held a sense of urgency and intensity as he watched her._

_"I'm not ready to let you go, but I can't accept us. I made a promise that my Princess would be the only one in my heart."_

_"It seems like that promise has already been broken." He leaned forward and gently kissed her. "We're not doing anything wrong despite your sense of duty." _

_She looked at him with her dark eyes and mentally fought with herself over her next action. How could she let him go? Although how could she break her promise to her Princess? The reasons in her head battled back and forth and she finally decided to silence the voices by leaning forward to capture his face in her hands and kissing him. He pulled her towards him, sweeping her to her feet and then deftly back off of them and into his arms. She ignored the voice of reason in her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, not allowing either of them to break the kiss. He carried her over to her bed and gently laid her down, resting himself on top of her. "Jadeite…." Her voice trailed off._

_"No, don't call me that. Not while we're here, not when we're like this." He whispered into her ear and her eyes widened._

_"That's your name?" she asked breathily._

_He nodded his head in the affirmative and captured her lips in another searing kiss, allowing his fingers to become entangled in the dark strands of her hair._

Jadeite awoke hours later to find himself in a room he didn't recognize and wearing only a pair of sweatpants. Although after the past couple of days he was starting to become accustomed to this constant change. He rubbed his eyes and sat up looking around trying to find anything familiar about his surroundings. The smell of the ocean drifted into his nostrils and he looked over to the sliding glass door that had been left open, a light breeze carried in the scent of salt water. Cautiously he stepped out of bed, his legs still feeling weak but holding his weight all the same. He walked over to the door and out onto the balcony to notice that the sun had started to set. A lone figure sat on the sand and Jadeite recognized him to be Endymion. Slowly he walked out the door and down the beach to sit next to his Prince.

Mamoru looked over at him and then leaned back to rest his weight on his arms. "You snore like a wildebeest."

"I think I earned it."

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Jadeite. I thought I'd be able to get to you sooner."

"What happened to Rei?" Jadeite's voice was soft and he sounded concerned.

"Rei?" Mamoru asked.

"Mars. She saved me, I wanted to thank her."

Mamoru sighed and shook his head, continuing to look out over the ocean. The waves roared as they rolled inland and crashed against the sand, dissipating back into harmless swirls. The sky had been overcast earlier, but now the sun had begun to break through the clouds, warming the beach. "She didn't save you."

"She came to me and teleported us out of the Dark Kingdom. When I came to she was sitting with me. I don't believe that she would have abandoned me now."

"That was Mercury that rescued you, not Mars."

"I was sure that I saw her…." His voice trailed off.

"I'm sorry, Jadeite, she is still under Beryl's control. You must have been dreaming."

"So where is Mercury now?"

"Gone. She had her own battle to fight."

"And Zoicite?"

"He ran off to save her."

"He always was trying to be a hero. So what have I missed?"

"Mina's gone."

"You lost her too?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Kunzite took her and that was the last that she was seen. I'm getting concerned about her, she's been gone for a while now and I can't locate her."

"I hadn't realized that she came equipped with a GPS."

Mamoru couldn't help but to laugh at Jadeite's comment. "Something like that."

"So then Kunzite is….?"

"Still under Beryl's control."

"So he and Mina are….?"

"Dancing a fine line between their loyalty to each other and the need to kill one another."

"That leaves us with the dynamic duo of Jupiter and Nephrite."

"Nephrite is gone. I don't know what happened to him but I can sense the loss of him. If I had been quicker to find him than maybe I would have been able to help him."

"That leaves you and me then. Where do we start?"

"We need the Silver Crystal. It's the only way to save Serenity from Beryl."

"Then we start looking."

Mamoru scooped up a handful of sand and watched intently as the grains slipped though his fingers. "Maybe we need to work on rescuing Serenity first. She must have the Silver Crystal but doesn't know it. I'm not sure what shape it would have taken, it could look like anything."

"Between the two of us I'm sure we can figure something out. I just want my rematch against Kunzite."

"You're going to have to get in line behind Mina."

"I thought she was gone." Jadeite frowned.

"Where ever one of them is the other is never far behind."

"So just to clarify, we need the Silver Crystal to save Serenity, but to get the silver crystal we have to capture Serenity, but before we can do that we need to fight Kunzite who can't be found without Mina who just plain can't be found."

"It's a vicious circle. My plan for now is to lay low and wait until you're ready to fight again."

"I'm fine."

"You could barely walk the distance from the door to here. Trust me on this one, Jadeite, I have a feeling about this that waiting is the best plan of action."

"So where is here anyway?" Jadeite asked looking around.

"My beach house. I've been meaning to sell this property for some time now. I guess it's fortunate that I held on to it."

"Should we be concerned about your neighbors?"

"Not really. The house down there is vacant most of the year," he pointed to his left where a pale blue house sat about a quarter of a mile down the beach. "And that house," he pointed to his right where a tan stucco house with a pink tinge rested about an equal distance away, "is inhabited by some young girl. She mostly keeps to herself so I wouldn't be concerned about her coming over here anytime soon."

"Duly noted," Jadeite chuckled. He sighed and laid down on the warm sand with his hands folded behind his head. "So how long are we going to work on this waiting thing?"

"For as long as it takes." Endymion watched as another handful of sand slipped through his fingers. Once his palm was empty he clapped his hands together trying to get rid of the remaining grains embedded in his skin. "I'm going to make some lunch. Are you coming in?"

"I'm going to stay out here for a while longer. I missed the sun." Jadeite allowed his eyes to close and reveled in the feeling of the warm sun against the bare skin of his chest. Endymion cast him one last glance before retreating back into the house.

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"Artemis?" Venus asked nervously. "What did I do?"

"What were you thinking of when you transported us?"

"I thought that I wanted to go someplace safe. That I wanted to find my Princess."

Artemis squeezed her hand reassuringly and pulled her forward down the stone path. All around her buildings lay in ruin; most of the remaining marble fixtures were buried in dust. "You're on the Moon, Minako. You brought us back here."

"Is there we will find her?"

"It's not that simple. The crystal was fragmented and you need to reassemble it. One of the pieces is in you."

Venus's hand flew over her chest as she frowned. "I don't understand. How could I be in possession of the crystal? I thought it could only be used by the Queen or the direct descendant of."

Artemis sighed and shook his head, his silver hair flowing over his shoulders with the motion. "I don't know why you do Minako, but you do. It's why you were able to be released from Beryl's control. It's the reason that you are so powerful now. Your powers as a Senshi are drawing off the Crystal."

"Is that why I was Sailor V? Because of the Crystal?"

"No," he answered shaking his head again. "That was a different lifetime for you. You have to understand that the time that passed since then was not spent in the Dark Kingdom. I know it's hard to grasp after everything but you died fighting the Dark Kingdom. You were brought back by Serenity's wish and the Silver Crystal. My best guess is that something went wrong when she tried to bring everyone back and she split the crystal trying to keep it safe."

"Endymion has the other piece," Venus answered clenching her fist.

"Why would you assume him? He doesn't have the Senshi powers nor the Millennium blood to power the Crystal."

"But he does, Artemis. His Golden Crystal is a match to her Silver Crystal. She left it in his trust and I'm willing to bet that he's been drawing on the power of her Crystal whether he realizes it or not. It all makes sense now. It's how the Dark Kingdom is able to find me – every time I activate the Crystal I'm acting as a beacon for them."

"It would serve to make sense I suppose."

"So how do I extract the pieces of the Crystal from us?"

It was Artemis's turn to frown as he released her hand and continued to walk. "I don't know if you can. Somewhere out there the Princess must have a mortal body. Maybe if you could find her and bring her in contact with both you and Endymion the Crystal would activate itself."

"Maybe…." Venus's voice drifted off and she wandered off the stone path over to a pile of ruins. "Artemis?" She asked softly. "Why don't I remember my life prior to all of this? I remember pieces from the Silver Millennium but nothing after that. Where did those 6 years go?"

Artemis followed after her and embraced her, bringing her body against his. Despite the time or incarnation, she was always the child soldier that he watched over as she grew into her role as a senshi. "We shouldn't be here, Mina. Your memories of this time will do nothing to assist you in defeating your enemy. I'm concerned that they will ultimately cloud your judgment. Let's go."

Venus closed her eyes and the familiar golden glow surrounded them. As she focused on her destination silver threads began to intermingle with the gold weaving around their bodies. With a bright flash they vanished from the moon and its desolate landscape. Not far from where they once stood overlooked the field where Venus and Kunzite had fought their final battle in the last days of the Silver Millennium. There was nothing to mark this grave site, nor anything to indicate the struggle that had been fought there save for the slight disturbances in the moon dust that time had begun to slowly smooth over.

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Kunzite hovered over the roof of the neighboring building so that he could continue to watch through the glass door of the balcony into his apartment. Mina stood frozen where he left her and somehow he felt remorse for having left her alone. It needed to be done though, she had to find the Princess and deliver the Silver Crystal. As he stood there alone he could feel a familiar set of eyes on him and he growled in response. This was not the time for him to deal with Danburite's foolishness.

"Is there anywhere I can go that you will not? Or do you plan to follow me around like a lost puppy while I clean up your messes?" he asked out loud waiting for Danburite to make his appearance known.

Without fail Danburite appeared next to him. "I'm on a mission for Beryl. But I thought that I would drop in and see how my blonde acquaintance was doing. It seems that your fascination with her may be distracting you from fulfilling your duties."

"Did I not make myself clear to stay away from her?" Kunzite asked with annoyance evident in his voice. "I have plans of my own that I do not need you to interfere with." He turned to face Danburite, who hovered next to him, his arms crossed with an air of arrogance.

"Your plans seem to be causing distress to my Queen."

"Your Queen's plans have not been successful. Now it's my turn to shape our destiny."

"Are we to blindly trust you when you show no regard for anyone around you?"

"I have had success while all any of you have had is failure."

"I see. Then I suppose I'm wrong to be suspicious of your actions. You come and go as you please while fraternizing with our enemy. Although I suspect it's more than just fraternization that you have planned for her." Danburite smiled smugly. "When we are done here you will need to kill her."

"I will do as I please with her. You will stop making it a concern of yours."

"Another order I suppose…." His voice trailed off as a flash of light caught his eye. As the glow faded he could see another aftershock of color and he wondered if Mars had been successful in her attack. "Was this part of your plan? To have her disappear under your nose?" he nodded his head towards the now empty apartment.

"Danburite, when she returns I will find her and I can assure you that she will deliver to me the Silver Crystal when she does." Kunzite teleported away and Danburite quickly followed eager to see where the other man was now headed. If Mina did return with Kunzite's prize, Danburite wanted to be sure to intercept her. As quickly as they vanished from sight, Sailor Mars appeared on the opposing roof, anger evident in her pose.

Kunzite returned to the Dark Kingdom and stood in the study. Several monitors lined the back wall with different images displayed on them. He walked over to a plush chair and swept his cape to the side before sitting down in a swift motion, giving him a regal appearance. Despite knowing that what he was looking for would not be found on any of the monitors, he continued to watch anyway as different scenes played out before him. The people of the city were drab and boring in their daily lives. Their evolution had left them as simple beings with no more importance than that of a cockroach to him. His ears suddenly perked at the soft clicking of approaching footsteps. A set of cool hands rested on his shoulders behind him and he could feel the piercing of sharp nails as they dug into his skin through his uniform.

"Why have you been ignoring our Queen's summons?" a cool voice asked.

"I've been busy." His voice sounded disinterested and he only enforced that further by refusing to turn his eyes from the monitors in front of him.

"When I give you an order I expect you to obey," the voice hissed into his ear and he could see the strands of blonde hair falling onto his lap from the corner of his eye.

"We're alone now. Must we continue with this charade?"

"Charade?"

"I see you want avoid the question."

"Where have you been, Kunzite?"

"Tying up some loose ends."

"One of your brothers has been lost to us."

"And which might that be?"

"Beryl sent Nephrite out to find you when you ignored her summons. It seems that something has happened to him that has caused him to be unable to return to us. I don't suppose you know anything about this?" her hands unclenched from his shoulders and began to instead use her fingers to knead the muscles in his neck.

"Why would I know anything about this?"

Her hand brushed against his hair and pushed the strands behind his left ear. As she leaned over to speak into his ear, the remainder of the hair from her odango spilled into his lap. The golden color reminded him of his Minako and he resisted the urge to touch it by telling himself whose hands really rested on him now. "He thought that perhaps you had something to do with Jadeite's escape."

Kunzite laughed. "You had him trapped and yet you still managed to lose him? Is this what happens when I'm not around to supervise this kindergarten?"

"So then tell me what happened."

"I'm not interested in what happened to Jadeite."

"Then what about Nephrite?" she asked, walking around to sit on the edge of his chair with her legs seductively crossed, allowing him a generous glimpse of the length of her legs from her dark boots down to where the ends of her skirt rested. "Maybe you are interested in what happened to him?"

"Not in the least."

"He is your brother."

"He is nothing to me."

"Then what is it that you are interested in?"

"With finding the Silver Crystal as we've been ordered."

"So then I can expect you to deliver it into my hands?" She crawled from her perch to sit on his lap. "I do enjoy receiving such delightful gifts."

Kunzite smiled. "I will deliver it to our Queen myself."

"But I would like it more."

"I'm not interested in your wants," he frowned at her.

"We could be so good together, Kunzite."

"May we never find out," he looked away from her and back up to the monitors.

"I could kill her," her voice took on a harsh tone.

"And I could kill you."

"I suppose it would make for an interesting game," she laughed.

"You already have a loyal dog sniveling at your feet. Perhaps you should pursue his affections rather than mine. Now if you're done…." he responded with annoyance hoping that she would understand his meaning.

"I'm not interested in Danburite, compared to you he is nothing," she breathed into his ear. With a seductive smile she turned his cheek so that he faced her and kissed him.

Exasperated he pushed her off his lap and stood up from the seat, watching as she collapsed into a disheveled heap. With one last look of disgust, he peered down at her sitting on the stone floor and walked out of the room, his cape fluttering in his wake.

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A short while later Mamoru walked out onto the porch overlooking the ocean with a bowl of noodles and a pair of chopsticks in hand. His eyes skimmed the beach for Jadeite and he nearly dropped the bowl when he discovered the resting blonde was missing. Taking a deep breath he put the bowl on the glass patio table and walked out onto the sand where he last seen Jadeite. He knew that the other man couldn't have gotten very far on his own and he doubted that anyone from the Dark Kingdom would have been able to find them so quickly. A feeling of dread started to wash over him despite his efforts to push it out of his mind. "Jad – er Joel!" Mamoru yelled, trying to correct himself from calling the wrong name. "Joel!" he yelled again. When there was still no sign of him Mamoru looked around in the sand for any sign of distress or a fight. What he found instead was a set of footprints leading away from his property and over towards tan stucco house next door. Mamoru groaned internally and wondered if Jadeite really would have wondered off to go and speak with this young girl. As he stood there debating whether or not it would be worth following the trail he noticed a lone figure emerging onto the beach from his neighbor's house. Jadeite slowly crossed the distance back to Mamoru's beach house. "What the hell were you thinking?!" Mamoru yelled louder than he intended.

"I wanted to make sure that your neighbor wasn't going to be an issue."

"And?"

"And she wasn't home."

"What were you thinking taking off like that?"

"I'm standing here now." Jadeite spotted the bowl on the table and started walking up towards the balcony hoping that the contents were for him - Mamoru was quick to follow. He grabbed the bowl and the chopsticks and sat on one of the patio chairs practically inhaling the food. "I didn't realize how hungry I was," he mumbled with his mouth full. "Is there more?" Mamoru frowned and nodded his head. Jadeite continued to slurp his noodles as he got up and walked inside to get more.

Mamoru turned back towards the ocean and put his hands on the patio railing. He didn't mean to be angry, but now that he was down to his last Shitennou he had to be more careful and taking unnecessary risks was no longer an option. In the center of his chest he could feel a tugging sensation and he perked up feeling Mina's presence nearby. He quickly turned to find her and a tall silver haired man standing before him. For a moment he was taken aback by her appearance. "Mina," he said softly, staring at her intently. "You've changed."

"My uniform has changed to reflect my power."

"No," he couldn't bring himself to stop looking at her. "It's more than that. Your features are different." He reached out and cupped her chin much to Artemis's annoyance. However Mamoru didn't seem to acknowledge his presence any longer. "You're beautiful. It's almost like you reverted back into your old form, I'm not sure how else to describe it." Mamoru let his hand drop and he stepped back trying to clear his head. He remembered Venus from the Silver Millennium along with the myriad of stories surrounding her. It was no surprise that men on Earth chose to worship her so whole heartedly. Her hair seemed to shimmer on its own and her blue eyes were a deeper shade of blue. Something in her facial features seemed to have changed as well giving her a more angelic appearance.

"We have some things to discuss, Endymion – alone if you don't mind."

"Of course," he replied.

Venus looked over to Artemis and he nodded his head before turning and walking out onto the beach, leaving the couple alone. "As it turns out," she started, "things are not as we originally thought."

"How so?"

"I spoke with Kunzite. He told me some things about Serenity that we needed to know."

"And you trust him?"

"It seems to make sense."

"Who's that that you're with?"

"Artemis. He is my guardian from the Silver Millennium. I've learned a lot from him as well." She paused trying to decide how best to tell her story. "The Serenity that you see now, that Sailor Moon, it's not -. " She stopped midsentence to consider what she would say next. "We are in possession of the Silver Crystal."

"What do you mean?" his eyes narrowed skeptically.

"There is so much to say that I'm not sure where to start. We've fought this battle once before and we defeated Beryl. She's no real threat to us. Artemis thinks that somehow in our last battle the Crystal split into several pieces for safe keeping. One piece is in me and I believe that the other is in you."

"It would make sense. You and I have some connection to each other and I can't understand any other reason for this to be so."

"It's because you can feel her in me, and I think my piece of the crystal in turn calls to you."

"Where are the other pieces?"

"I'm not sure. My hope is that once we find Serenity she will be able to use the Crystal."

"Find her?" Venus stared at Mamoru for a moment before turning away. She attempted to take several steps away but was restrained by him grabbing her arm. "What do you mean find her? Shouldn't that have been '_rescue'_ her?"

"That's what I meant."

"What else do you know, Mina?" he asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," her voice was firm.

"I have trusted you throughout all of this; don't hold back on me now."

Venus could still hear Kunzite's voice as he warned her not to share this secret with anyone else. If she told Endymion he would surely tell Jadeite and Zoicite, and if either of them were ever taken by Beryl then they may not have a chance to find the real Princess before their plans were revealed. Despite her instincts telling her to trust him she still held back. "I think we can deduce now that our powers are quite limitless. The more we use them the more powerful we will become. If we fight together we will defeat Beryl."

"And Serenity?"

"We may be able to do this with or without her."

Endymion frowned at her answer and pulled her in close to him so that they stood practically nose to nose. He spoke with his voice low to ensure that they would not be overheard. "I hope that your intentions here are meant for the better. If I find out that you have any thoughts of double crossing me then so help me I will deal with you in whichever way I see fit."

"I can assure you that in a fight of me against you there would be one obvious victor whether you choose to accept that or not," she replied with no less confidence that he had expressed.

They stared off against each other for several moments before Endymion finally broke the silence, his voice still low and calm. "I don't know what happened to you or what Kunzite did to you, but I'm hoping that because you came here to share your information with me, it means I can still trust you."

"Kunzite didn't hurt me; he wouldn't ever do anything to harm me. He knows that Beryl is evil."

"Just because he knows she's evil doesn't mean that he isn't himself."

"I trust him, Endymion."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Venus suddenly felt cool air swirl around her and she tensed sensing what would be coming. "I'm disappointed in you, Mina. I leave you alone for a few hours and now here you are in the arms of another man."

She stepped back away from Endymion, although he still held her arm tightly within his grasp as though he were wary of Kunzite disappearing with her again. "How did you find us?" Mamoru asked Kunzite coolly.

"I can always find my Minako when I want her. She and I are bonded together – there is nowhere she can go that I can't follow." He turned his attention to Venus. "So have you figured it out yet?"

"Not yet," she responded carefully.

"That's a shame. I came here with a gift for you assuming that you would have put all the pieces together. " He paused to sigh. "Although I suppose I could still share this with you anyway." His hand reached under his cape and pulled out a small leather pouch, quickly tossing it to her. A slight smile appeared across his features as she caught it, eying up the item suspiciously. "You can open it."

Endymion released her arm so that she could open the pouch. Four stones rolled out onto her palm and she gasped in recognition of what they were. "Did you do this?" her face paled as she spoke.

"It had to be done, Mina, I think you understand why. Mercury hardly put up a fight, I was rather disappointed. Zoicite on the other hand didn't know when to back down or when to understand that the battle was lost."

"And the other two?" Endymion asked angrily.

Kunzite laughed. "That was a surprising turn of events even for me. As it turns out your little Mercury was able to defeat Jupiter."

"You killed two of your own, Kunzite," Endymion spat.

"Zoicite killed Nephrite, I killed Zoicite. To me it seems like I was avenging one of my own. Now there is one more standing in your way. I think you understand," he looked at Venus knowingly.

Her eyes remained fixated on the stones in her hands. An unnatural light seemed to radiate off of them keeping her mesmerized. Endymion's hand fell on her shoulder bringing her attention back to her surroundings. She looked at Kunzite and back to the stones, sadness evident in her eyes. Movement from the beach caught her eye and she noticed Artemis in the distance with something in his arms. Realization dawned on her and she carefully put the stones back in the pouch before handing it to Endymion. "I can't help you anymore, Endymion. Everything you need is here. Protect her." Venus walked towards Kunzite and Mamoru's hand dumbly fell off her shoulder, not understanding her words or this final sacrifice. She held Kunzite's hand with both of her own and looked up at him. "Take me back with you. I want to be on the winning side."

Kunzite chuckled at her admission of defeat and wrapped his arm around her, his cape draping itself over her shoulders. Mamoru finally found his voice to speak up before they could teleport away. "Minako."

"The next time I see you, Endymion, you're going to have to kill me." She looked up to Kunzite and murmured, "Let's go." He happily obliged her by teleporting them away. Endymion continued to stare at where they once stood.

Jadeite opened the porch door and stepped out onto the patio, the same dazed look on his face from hearing the exchange. "I don't understand what happened there. She shouldn't have done that."

Artemis approached them slowly but remained on the sandy portion of the beach rather than stepping onto the patio. "You don't see it either do you?"

Endymion jerked his head to look over at Artemis. "She went back to him after she swore her loyalty to me."

"You are blind then if you can't see what is right in front of you."

"Two of my loyal guards are now dead. I am certainly not blind to that."

"Then perhaps I can explain. Although I think that there is someone you should meet first. This is my wife, Luna," he held the cat in his arms forward. "I think she may be able to bring some clarity to our situation."

_Venus and Kunzite lay in his bed tangled in white sheets sans their clothing. Her arms were wrapped around his chest while her head rested on his shoulder. His arm rested against her back and he gently kissed the top of her head. "I want you to stay with me," he mumbled into her hair._

_"I want to stay with you, but I can't," she looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest. "You can return with me."_

_"I can't do that either," he replied reaching out to run his fingers through her hair._

_"You were right about us," she said sadly. "We were better off as we were before. I don't think I can be without you now that I've had you."_

_"It wasn't worth it?"_

_"No," she answered quickly. "I would never do anything to take this moment back. It's just hard to know that we can never be together. My responsibilities to Serenity are eternal. Even when my time as a Senshi has finally passed, you will have been long gone from this world."_

_"I'll never be gone, Minako." His arms wrapped around her and he held her tightly. "I love you."_

_Her eyes widened at his words and she quickly jumped up into a sitting position. "You do?"_

_He sat up leaning back on one arm and intertwining their fingers with his free hand. "I do. Should I not?" he chuckled._

_"No! I just never thought that you would say those words." She leaned forward wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him as they fell back against the bed. He rolled her so that he laid on top of her, tangling their bodies even more so in the linens. "I love you too," she said breathily, kissing him again._

_His hands cupped her face, holding her close to him. Suddenly he felt a pang in his chest and for a moment felt dizzy as if the wind had been knocked out of him. He pulled back from her and looked into her eyes. "What just happened?"_

_"Now you will be eternal like I am."_

_--_

Surprised by the ending? I decided to stray from my previously planned storyline, so we'll see how this all works out. Let me know what you think!  
Chapter 8 is on the way!


	8. Chapter 8

I'm sorry for the long hiatus on this story...and I'm sorry this is going to be a semi short chapter. I'm working towards wrapping up this story and here is the first piece on my way there - although the way I ramble this story may turn out to be far from over... I have some ideas for chapter 9, now it just needs to be written. I'll try not to wait too long to post the next chapter!  
Please review and let me know what you think. I hope this chapter is up to par if not maybe slightly above... wink wink  
Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing this story so far - I really enjoy reading the reviews (and it helps with my motivation). So without further ado and proof of my ability to ramble...here's chapter 8!

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"We are making a mistake," Sailor Mars spat looking in Kunzite's direction. "You should let me kill her and be done with it." She stood in front of Queen Beryl with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Kunzite stood off to the side near her, facing Beryl with his face a mask of stone. Beryl sat perched higher up on her throne, her long fingernails tapping impatiently against the armrests. She leaned to her right, crossing her legs slowly.

"Now now, Mars," Beryl smiled wantonly, "it's a little soon for this type of talk. I would at least like to hear what Kunzite has to say first." She turned her eyes to Kunzite. "Now please, tell me why I am going to let her live."

Kunzite stood tall with his arms crossed in front of him. "She is strong and I believe she knows the whereabouts of the P –" he paused to correct his thought, "the Silver Crystal." Beryl had never openly admitted to her falsity and he had so far opted not to directly address the issue with her. "If we kill her, the secret dies with her."

"She will turn on us again, my Queen," Mars countered.

"She will be under my watchful eye," Kunzite shot back.

"Among other things I suppose," Mars drawled maliciously.

"Had I lost my charge I might be bitter as well," his eyes narrowed in amusement.

Mars turned her head to the side to look at Kunzite, pointing her arm at him in a swift motion. "If it's a fight you're looking for -."

"Enough!" Beryl shouted, putting an end to their bickering. "For now, she stays." Her eyes looked from Mars to Kunzite. "One misstep on either of your parts though, Kunzite, and you will regret your decision. It would be for the best if all three of you learned how to work together. I won't stand for anymore of this dissention. Am I understood?" Mars and Kunzite glared at each other, neither speaking. "Am I understood?!" she shouted. Kunzite smiled cruelly and Mars turned on her heel and stalked out of the room. Beryl turned her eyes towards Kunzite once again. "One mistake, Kunzite – that's all I'm waiting for. She has been a distraction to you as of late and I'm hoping that having her here and under my control will alleviate the issue."

"There will be no issue, my Queen." Despite his normal indifference towards her he bowed before walking out of the room.

"And, Kunzite," her voice rang out, echoing in the spaciousness of the room. He turned back to look at her. "I would like for you to do me a favor. It shouldn't take you very long at all." A smile tugged at the corner of her lips and he knew that this was her first test of his loyalty.

We would like to be what we are and live together. We would like to make our future the way we are. No matter how tough, I want to live this life.

'I want to live this life….' Mina thought sadly as the memory faded.

Exasperated, Kunzite walked down the hall heading towards his room, annoyance clearly written on his normally stony features. Beryl had requested that he complete menial tasks that served no other purpose than to make sure he was willing to listen and obey her orders. Normally he would have paid her little heed but he was not going to give her the excuse to ruin his vendetta.

He entered his quarters to find Mina laying face down on his bed, by all appearances still asleep in her orange and white fuku. Yet her breathing seemed too irregular for her to have been sleeping very long. Cautiously he peered around the room and upon finding no one, sat down next to her, resting his hand on her back. He could feel her heart beating strongly as she rolled over to look at him. "Why is your heart beating so fast?" he asked her.

"I was dreaming before you arrived. It was a sad memory."

"I need you to tell me everything that you know, Mina. Where are the Princess and the Crystal?"

"I'm not sure."

"Why did you turn your back on Endymion? Earlier you were fairly adamant about not betraying him."

"I wanted to be back with you."

"There is more that you're not telling me."

"You appear to know more than I do," her voice took on a defensive tone as she sat up to face him.

"I need you to prove your loyalty to me, Mina, as it seems that you are not going to be welcomed back with open arms. This puts me in a difficult position because I need all of your memories intact and exposure to Beryl's dark energy may cause you to forget certain things of great importance."

"I just sold my soul to the devil to be here with you. If that's not enough for you then I don't know what is." She moved to step off of the bed but was stopped when he grabbed her arm, pulling her forcefully back towards him. As she landed on her back he kneeled on the bed, placing one hand menacingly over her neck as he leaned over her.

"I recognized your Guardian – tell me what he's doing here," he pressed her for information.

"He told me everything. I know how this battle is going to end, the same way as it did last time, with you dead at my hands."

"I thought you said that I killed you," his eyes narrowed.

"One by one my Senshi killed you and your fellow Shitennou – Rei killed Jadeite, Jupiter killed Nephrite, I killed Zoicite, and together we killed you."

"And what of Beryl?" his hand released her neck, although his other hand still firmly pressed against her chest holding her in place.

"I killed her," she spat. "Apparently twice was not enough to keep her that way."

"Metallia?"

"Serenity and Endymion fought her, and with the power of the Silver Crystal she was defeated."

"So then why are we here again?"

"I never had the opportunity to find out. What I do know is that we need to finish this ourselves to make sure that we don't keep repeating this reality."

"And how do you propose that we do this?"

"I think you already know the answer to that. Isn't that why you've been feeding me information?"

"To an extent."

"Good. Then I believe that we are almost done. There are only a couple more obstacles to go."

"But this still leaves us on opposing sides when all is said and done."

"I don't know about that…." She drawled, leaning up to kiss him. "We can cross that bridge when we get there."

"So you do have your own agenda," he responded slyly.

"I am here at your mercy, Kunzite," she smiled seductively, gesturing towards her current position under his grasp. "By all appearances I seem to be your prisoner."

"What else is it that you are holding back from me?"

"Nothing."

"Then if I were to make you forget all of your memories there would be nothing lost right?"

"I loved you in the Silver Millennium and I cherish those memories of us. But if it means being with you now I will gladly give up all of them."

"Minako," his eyes softened for a moment and he gently kissed her forehead. When he looked back into her eyes she saw that there was nothing but cruelty staring back at her. "When did you become so weak?" His hand pushed against her chest and she could feel a surge of dark energy pouring through her body. Her mouth opened but no sound came out. It felt as if the air in her lungs were being pulled from her body leaving her to slowly suffocate. A topaz stone appeared on her forehead, shining brightly in the dimness of his room. With each passing second the brilliance of the gem began to lose its luster as she started to succumb to the darkness invading her vision. Her body glowed as her transformation lost its ability to hold and her fuku disappeared leaving her nude body in his grasp.

"This is the end for us isn't it?" Venus asked Kunzite as he leaned against the large tree trunk with his hands in his pockets. They stood alone on the Moon, as far from the Moon Palace as they could go. Overhead the Earth shone brightly as if it were a reminder of the distance growing between them, despite the close proximity of their bodies. 

"It doesn't have to be, Minako," his voice was gruff despite the gentleness of his words.

"I would never betray my Princess the way you have forsaken your Prince," she spat, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to take over. "What happened to you?"

"The people of Earth fear those of the Moon and I can't leave them to believe they have been left by those who are sworn to protect them."

"You can dispel those rumors if you so chose to. Why is it that you don't want to stop this battle?"

"I don't have a choice in the matter. This is my calling."

"You've sold your soul to the Devil that's what you've done," her eyes narrowed accusingly.

"I'm doing what is best for my planet and its inhabitants! Don't accuse me of doing the wrong thing. If the people of the Moon were to rebel against those of Earth where would you stand? Would you stand by my side and turn your back on them? Or would you do everything in your power to protect them?"

"There is nothing to protect them from. You know that we have no interest in hurting anyone. We are ruled by a peaceful sovereign." He did not respond to her words and instead stood silently with his arms firmly crossed. Her hands were clenched into tight fists and she fought against the urge to physically lash out at him.

"I don't want to lose you, Minako, but I don't have a choice in the matter."

"Kunzite, please, talk to me."

"I can't talk to you anymore. It's for the best that we do this now." He reached forward and enveloped her in his arms, closing the distance between them. She fought against his grasp but he held firm not wanting to allow her to break their contact. Despite her strength he could tell that at the same time she was battling against herself to allow him to be so near to her. He leaned down and gently kissed her eyelids, pulling her head against his chest, where she finally stopped resisting. 

They stood pressed up against the tree, trying to stay hidden from view. Her hair fluttered in the breeze and his brown blue-lined cape wrapped around their bodies. This attractive couple would normally be hard to miss except that they took every precaution when ducking away to make sure that no one would be able to follow them. For as long as time allowed they relaxed in each other's arms, glad to be able to share in this moment with each other. It was growing late and the air was becoming cooler and the woman shivered ever so slightly as the air ruffled the orange skirt of her fuku that no one would have noticed, save for him who could see through every look she gave him to know its true meaning. His hand pulled tighter against her waist, covered by a white top with orange bows and she allowed him to hold her closer. No one could ever touch this Goddess save for this one heavenly king who breathed in her scent and knew that he would never let her go, not as long as she allowed him to love her. Which was all the more reason why she would have to stop loving him now while she still had a chance to resist him. A darkness had started seeping into him that he could not explain, and for some reason he was afraid to confide this detail to her. This revelation startled him as he realized that this was the first time he had ever truly been afraid – of anything.

"I have to go now." He stepped back from her and started to walk away before his resolve faded.

"Will I see you again?" she called after him.

"I hope not," he answered so quietly that his words were carried away by the wind and never reached her ears.

She watched unmoving as the surreal moment continued to pass before her eyes. There was a change in him - that much she could sense. His uneasiness affected her and she couldn't help but to reflect the same emotion. Despite the battle that was surely raging inside of him, his outward appearance seemed unchanged. His gait was strong and even as normal; his shoulders remained squared as his cape fluttered behind him. The feeling of his arms around her lingered on her skin even as their physical distance continued to grow.

Mina opened her eyes and found herself lying in a strange bed, its owner nowhere in sight. She attempted to sit up but found herself tangled in a set of maroon sheets with a delicious scent reminiscent of Kunzite. What was it she was dreaming that would have made her toss and turn so vehemently she wondered? Slowly she extracted herself from her sheets and stretched her arms over her head feeling refreshed as though she had slept for days. Her eyes cast downward to see that she wore nothing underneath the sheet. Strange, she didn't recall falling asleep with no clothes on, yet she didn't seem to remember falling asleep at all either. Unhurriedly she pulled herself from the bed with the sheet trailing after her, allowing it to collapse in a silken mound on the floor. Her arms reached over her head and in flash she was suited up in her white fuku that now reflected the upgrade in her powers. No longer were her feet adorned in a pair of orange heels – now she wore a pair of white boots that stopped at her knees, the tops trimmed in orange. A feeling of power washed over her and she felt comforted by her newfound strength.

She exited what she assumed to be Kunzite's room and strolled through the dark hallways. Everywhere she went it seemed that all shadows were oozing with the same dark energy that now flowed through her veins. What did seem odd was how no one was in sight. It seemed plausible that Rei would be keeping her distance seeing as though they had a score to settle. Danburite, however, was always lingering around whenever she was in the Dark Kingdom. Although with Kunzite here she assumed that he was off sulking somewhere, too plagued by his own selfish desires to care what was going on around him.

Deciding that she was bored with walking around in apparent isolation, she attempted to teleport herself back to ground level in search of amusement, but was shocked to find that she could not. She even attempted to open a portal with no success. Something was keeping her trapped in this dungeon and she found herself growing angrier with each passing second. She screamed out a cry of frustration, only to hear the echo's of laughter filtering back to her ears. Her eyes narrowed as she looked around trying to locate the source of the inane laughter until she recognized the voice. "Danburite," she called sweetly. "I'm not really in the mood to play hide 'n go-seek with you."

He appeared behind her, gently placing his hands on her arms. "But that's always been a favorite of ours," he pretended to be upset by her comment.

"Why am I trapped here?" she made no effort to hide her frustration.

"Has no one told you what happened?"

She turned her head to look at him. "No, I have been unable to find anyone in these twisted halls. What is going on?"

"You are going to have to speak to our beloved Queen for that answer. Maybe even your Princess if she decides to make an appearance for us today."

"I have no interest in talking to Beryl. Where is my Princess?"

"Hmm…." he said walking away from her. "That is always a good question."

"Tell me, Danburite," Venus warned as she followed after him.

"She is with Kunzite I would assume. They have been spending quite a bit of time together as of late."

"And why would that be?"

"I told you, my Aphrodite, great power calls to great power. It was inevitable that they would find themselves together."

"I see," she chewed on her lower lip contemplating his words.

"Beryl has asked me to retrieve you, so without further ado…." His voice trailed off as he smiled and opened a portal in front of them.

Venus stiffly walked through the portal and emerged in front of Beryl. She half expected Danburite to follow her, but quickly realized that as was typical of him, he was nowhere to be found. "My Queen," she bowed her head.

"My Venus, you've finally been returned to me."

"Have I been gone long?" she tried to disguise her disinterest under innocence.

"Come here," Beryl said, gesturing for her to come closer. Venus moved closer to kneel in front of her. Beryl reached over and cupped the younger girls chin in her hand. "Endymion stole you from me, but not for very long. What did you learn while you were with him?"

"Nothing," she looked up at the pale woman before her. "He is even worse off than we are now that he is down to his last Shitennou."

"As you are down to your last Senshi?"

"Not for long, my Queen," she replied in a sing song voice. "I do want to tell you about Usagi though. She has been very troublesome to me lately. Why do you keep her? I can do her job just as well if not better."

"She is the only one who can wield the power of the Silver Crystal unless you have been miraculously returned to me with Lunarian blood flowing through your veins."

"Wouldn't that be lovely?" she said thoughtfully, her voice dripping with sweet sarcasm. "Are you sure she's even really capable of wielding the Crystal once we have it?"

"Why would you suggest otherwise?" Beryl asked bitingly, pulling back from the blonde and reclining in her seat.

"Why would I believe that she holds that power when she's so powerless?"

"She defeated you."

"I thought I was fighting my Princess at the time. My loyalties would prevent me from harming her."

A thin smile spread over Beryl's lips. "I see. It's her identity that you question. By all means, I encourage you tell her your thoughts. Tell her that I sent you. It's quite the interesting story."

"If that's what my Queen asks of me than that is what I will do," Venus smiled sweetly, bowing her head.

Beryl laughed in response. "The words on your tongue are so much sweeter than the meaning behind them. You may go now."

"And what of my powers?"

"You may come and go as you please now. But I will ask that you stay away from Endymion until I tell you otherwise. I also want you to keep an eye on Kunzite for me. It seems as if his motives are his own as of late."

"I will make sure that he is taken care of." Venus rose from her kneeling position in front of Beryl and stepped back into a portal, leaving Beryl to smile in the girl's wake.

"I'm sure you will," she spoke out loud to no one in particular.

--  
alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP- alizeP-  
--

Nighttime had long since fallen on Tokyo leaving the city to be illuminated only by the lights of the nightlife. Kunzite hovered over the Tokyo tower revealing in the darkness around him, thinking how much better pitch blackness would suit his mood. His Minako had finally been returned to him, and for that he felt satisfied. Although his encounter with her had exposed him to knowledge of their current situation that he would not have expected. What a dangerous turn things had begun to take and he had not been able to stop himself from wondering what would happen next. Over the past few days, several pieces of this puzzle had started to come together, which was why he started to pursue the surviving Senshi. It was a shame that his Shitennou had decided to become nuisances, but to fulfill his mission for his Queen they had become expendable. But now with Minako's memories embedded into his mind, he started to question what he thought he knew.

A small hand could be felt on his shoulder and his eyes turned to meet a familiar set of blue ones. "Why must you insist on following me?" he asked coldly.

"You are so very interesting to me," Sailor Moon drawled running her hand down the length of his arm. "I'm intrigued as to why you decided to pay Endymion a visit."

"It seems as though there were some things that needed discussing."

"You have your lover back from him - I can't imagine what else needed to be said."

"I told him to stop loving you."

She laughed and the sound echoed in the stillness of the night. "He stopped loving me a long time ago, Kunzite. Let me tell you a story about love. Once upon a time there was a Prince, who dearly loved his Princess, but then darkness fell and they were lost to each other. With her dying breath she promised to love him forever and so when they met again she instantly recognized him, their love renewed in her heart. For a time she thought that he would love her in return and so she was happy," Sailor Moon said dreamily, dancing away. She turned to face Kunzite, the smile now gone from her face. "Instead he fell in love with another. She was so much like his Princess, that even though he could see through her disguise he still desired her. What was his Princess to do but follow after him hopelessly, waiting for him to remember her? When the time came for her to stand strong and fight she found herself weak and alone."

"So what happened to this Princess?" he asked.

"For all intents and purposes, let's say that she died on that day."

"It does not say much for their love if he was so easy distracted by another."

"It has been said something as small as the flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world."

"She was weak."

"You don't know the first thing about what I am or the price I have paid for it," she hissed angrily. "You and I are different from the rest of them. We know that we are being punished for our previous lives, unlike your other Shitennou who blindly follow where ever they are led."

"You're not really here," he looked her over.

"I am as real as they come, sweetheart," she leaned towards him, pressing her body against his own. "Or can you not tell from where we stand?" His eyes locked on hers trying to see what secret she was hiding. He thought he understood what she was but maybe he was wrong. "Tell you what," she pushed herself back a couple of inches, "when you decide that you are tired of her, come talk to me." She smiled like a Cheshire cat and faded away from sight. He contemplated her words until flashes in the distance caught his attention.

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Mars and Jadeite had slipped from the Venetian ballroom to stroll the inner Palace gardens reserved for the Royal family of Venus and its visiting dignitaries. They were not completely alone as they traversed the endless aisles but they had managed to find a dark corner where they could be unaccompanied for at least a few minutes. Mars explained to Jadeite the story behind the gardens, which much to his displeasure did not include alcoves of hidden love dens as many claimed to be a prominent feature on the planet. She quickly dispelled all of the rumors surrounding the Planet of Love but somehow managed to not dissuade him from making his own allusions as to what they could be doing while out here on their own. And so they found themselves tucked away in an embrace, lips locked in a kiss, their bodies slightly illuminated by the artificial lighting blended into the flora around them.

"Jadeite," Mars exhaled between kisses.

"Rei," he answered breathily, pressing his forehead against hers'.

"We should probably get back," she managed to squeeze the words in before he silenced her with another kiss.

"We have time," he murmured.

"Venus will notice I'm gone."

"Kunzite will handle it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You saw what I saw in the garden that day, Rei," he chuckled, brushing her hair away from her face adoringly.

She laughed in return. "She still won't talk to me about what happened."

"And we shouldn't be talking now," he pressed his lips against hers, his arms wrapped possessively around her slim waist.

"Jadeite," she mumbled against his lips. "I have a present for you."

"There's only one thing I want from you right now." She could feel his lips smile against her own and even in the darkness could see his eyes filled with mischief.

"Give me your hand," she said. He moved his right hand from around her waist and shifted it up the length of her torso, then ran his fingers down her arm leaving a trail of goose bumps from the sensation, stopping when their fingers were intertwined. "You did that on purpose," she smiled at him.

"Maybe just a little." She extended her other hand to reveal a golden object in her palm. His eyebrows scrunched together trying to identify the object glinting in the darkness. "What is this?"

"I got it from Mercury. It's for the next time that you visit the Moon Palace and need to find your way around."

His hand encased hers, wrapping both their fingers around the object. "Maybe you should keep it so that I have an excuse to find you. Otherwise I think I would really be lost then." He leaned in to kiss her again.

"Then perhaps it will help you to find me after the ball is over."

"If you say it, I will believe it."

Mars laughed at his response. "Then I fear you will believe anything. After all, you believed the stories about what goes on in the gardens of Venus."

"Then we'll just have to make those stories true," he grinned while pushing them further into the shadows and out of sight.

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Mars sat on the couch at Kai's apartment, her heel clad feet rested upon the coffee table still strewn with papers and books. She had come here to wait for Venus's return, there was going to be a show down between them and this seemed as an obvious enough place as any to draw the girl out. She couldn't help but to distrust the blonde, despite Kunzite's urgings of her returned loyalties. Between the two of them they made a very dangerous pairing that even Beryl would not be able to control should they realize that their servitude to the Dark Kingdom had become unnecessary.

"Beautiful Rei…." a melodious voice sang in her ear. She could feel a pair of hands pull her hair from around her shoulders, carefully bringing the long dark strands to rest down the back of the couch. "Always my rival, but a wonderful rival all the same," Venus purred kneeling behind the couch. She continued to play with the strands of the other girl's hair, running her fingers through the length.

"A compliment, Minako? I would have never expected one from you."

"It didn't have to be this way, Rei. Although now it is what it is, but for what it's worth I'm pretty sure you started it." She pulled sharply on the raven locks before resuming her playful petting of the soft tresses.

"I think if things were different we would have been friends."

"Maybe if we did not have to answer the call of being Senshi, but we did and we always will. Tell me, my pretty phoenix, why did you turn against me?"

"You turned against me. Why would you choose Endymion over me?"

"Did I choose him?"

"We all saw you fight alongside of him."

"I don't know what happened, but I assure you it was never of my choosing. Endymion is for the Princess to play with, just like Kunzite is mine."

"It's not Endymion that she pursues, Mina. You should be careful in what you believe and who you trust."

"Should I not trust you?" she asked sweetly.

"No."

"And why is that?"

"Because I think we both know that only one of us is going to walk out of here."

Venus sighed dramatically and stood from her crouched position, allowing Mars' hair to fall from her hands. "Then I suppose we should get started then." She pointed her finger at the couch and started to glow with power. "Crescent Beam!"

Mars jumped from the couch an instant before it exploded from the impact, leaving a pile of wood, fabric, and stuffing. She crouched down to catch her foot before standing up and releasing an attack of her own. "Burning Mandala!"

Venus jumped out of the way and the attack flew forward singeing the wall on impact. "Is this fun yet?" she laughed.

Her answer came in the form of another attack. "Flame Sniper!"

As the attack sped forward, Venus called upon her own attack to counter. "Love and Beauty Shock!" The two attacks collided, resulting in a powerful explosion. Both women braced themselves in the wake of the aftershocks, one watching in horror while the other watched with crazed amusement. "Love Me Chain!" At her beckoning the chain flew forward off of Venus's waist and launched itself at Mars, stopping only after it pierced through her chest. "I'm sorry, Rei." With a yank, Venus pulled the glowing chain back and held it in her hand like a rope, watching as the red clad senshi dropped to her knees. "But I will be merciful and end your suffering. Rolling Heart Vibration!"

A brilliant flash filled the room and when it faded Venus found Kunzite standing beside her. "Are you here to congratulate me or are you here as a spy for Serenity?"

"You shouldn't have done that, Mina," he put his hand on her shoulder.

She stepped away and turned to face him. "I don't answer to you, Kunzite. Now what is it that you are doing here?"

"I'm here to clean up after you."

"I don't need your help," she spat.

"We were supposed to be working together."

"You made your decision, Kunzite. You chose her, and now I'm going to start making some choices of my own. I'm finally free from all of you! No longer will I be controlled by a Prince who's kingdom is long dead, or a Princess who is not my own, or you who is the King of deception. No longer will I obey any of you."

"You think that Beryl will let you go so easily?"

Venus laughed. "It seems that as long as I don't interfere with her plans I am free to do as I please."

"I'm not going to let you walk away."

"You can't stop me," she replied in a sing-song voice. With a smile she blew him a kiss and leapt up into the air, fading from sight.

Kunzite crossed the room and picked up the deep red ruby that rested on the floor. He put the stone in his pocket and looked around at the items strewn around. These items were of his past life, a life that he had tried to separate himself from but somehow managed to fail in succeeding.


	9. Chapter 9

Another update - and in less than a month this time! The bad news, it's a short chapter. The good news, there's a huge revelation in this chapter. I was in the process of writing this chapter when I realized that I had an even better idea for how this story will end. So needless to say, I have some rewriting to do. I think this ending is much better! (although you'll just have to trust me on this one...)  
So please review - I'm making my desperate plea! Sometimes I get some really good ideas from your comments (plus I really like reading them...!) So without further ado, here's the next installment...

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Kunzite stood with the wind blowing coolly against his face, his hair falling gracefully behind him as the tendrils twisted themselves in their dance with the wind. The moonlight shone brightly on him as if he were being spotlighted for where he stood. All around him was covered in darkness, save for the glittering waves that reflected the moon's light as they rolled inland and carried their lost treasures back out to sea. Tonight he stood in black clothing rather than his Dark Kingdom uniform. Mina talked about the secret thrill of being able to blend in knowing that you had the power to affect everyone within a small radius. He did not feel comforted nor did he find pleasure in hiding his appearance, although unlike her he never strived for approval from those around him.

Mamoru came to stand next to him, the light of the moon reflecting almost blue against the midnight black of his hair. A blue that was almost as similar to the color of his eyes which reflected strength and knowledge. Odd, he noticed that the sense of loss that used to emanate about this man seemed to have waned. No longer did he appear tense or on edge, he must have found the proverbial chink in the Dark Kingdom's armor, Kunzite mused. All for the better that they put an end to this lifetime, he no longer felt pleasure by his powers or comforted by his love for the blonde goddess who seemed to constantly elude him.

"If you continue to be seen here people are likely to believe that we are friends," Mamoru spoke calmly, his eyes looked out to the water's edge, watching as the waves crashed onshore in quick intervals.

"A fair assumption," Kunzite nodded his head.

"What are you doing here?" his voice tensed.

"I want the same thing you do," he paused, "answers."

"You are coming to me for answers?"

"Has Mina been back here?"

"Not since you took her."

"I didn't take her. She made her decision."

"Why are you here?" Mamoru asked again, frustrated by the nonsensical banter.

"To give you a gift," he turned sharply to face the man he once recognized as his Prince.

Mamoru tensed, momentarily alarmed by the sudden action. Kunzite held out his hand where a small leather pouch rested on his palm, similar to the one he had already acquired. "What is this?" he asked cautiously.

"Another piece of the puzzle," Kunzite looked at the other man.

He reached out and carefully plucked the small pouch from his hand. "Why are you here, Kunzite?" he asked again, the tone in his voice echoed with the power of his Prince from the Golden Kingdom.

"I told you, I'm looking for Mina," Kunzite turned and walked down the steps, onto the sand, his form fading as he walked towards the water, appearing to have been nothing more than an apparition. Mamoru clenched the bag tightly in his hand before putting it into his pocket.

"Mamoru?" a soft voice called from behind him. He turned and smiled as the fair haired woman emerged from his house, Jadeite at her side. "It's ok, he doesn't know yet," he answered soothingly, smiling as he was met with a familiar pair of bright blue eyes.

Sailor Moon watched the monitor angrily as Mamoru slowly wrapped his arm around the petite blonde. Her hands balled into tense fists, arms visibly shaking from her contained anger. A terse scream erupted from her lips and she extended her hand, jolts of dark energy shooting from her fingertips to shatter the monitor. For a moment she felt satisfied by outburst, but the moment was quickly taken from her as the shards of glass mended themselves back together and she was once again met with the image of Mamoru and the other girl. "Must you continue to take satisfaction in my misery?" she asked out loud.

"Satisfaction?" Beryl responded coolly, coming to stand near the blonde. "Neither of us may have him. I would only take satisfaction in your misery of seeing him in my arms. But for this moment there is no reason for us to gloat over the other. And even if there were a reason for that, I think we both know that I earned it."

"You can gloat over my defeat all you would like, Beryl, but I will revel in the fact that at least once he loved me."

"Why haven't you found me the Crystal yet?" Beryl hissed through clenched teeth. "I grow weary of your excuses."

"I'm sure Endymion knows where it is. Maybe now would be a good time to go speak with him."

"No. I want you to watch Kunzite. It appears that it is he who holds the answers instead."

"I thought Minako was watching him."

"As are you now. He has secrets of his own that I want to become mine. If you believe that he has become traitorous then have him returned to me and I will deal with him."

Sailor Moon frowned at the now blank monitor before nodding her head and retreating from the room.

The blonde temptress stepped backwards into the crowd, gesturing with her finger for the light haired man dressed in a white collared shirt and khaki pants to follow after her. Her slim hips, encased in black leather pants, swayed back and forth suggestively to the beat of the music. The myriad of lights randomly splashed off her skin making her appear to stand out amongst all of the other dancers crowded onto the dance floor. He smiled at her, his eyes roaming over her body approvingly as he finished off the amber colored fluid from the clear bottle in his hand. A tall man with dark features approached the siren, pressing his body against hers as they danced to the music. His hands travelled up and down the sides of her red top as she leaned into him, her eyes however remained fixated on the light haired man who stood several feet away from her, leaning casually with one arm against the bar.

She spun around to face the dark haired man, bringing one hand to rest against his neck, pulling herself against him. His arms wrapped around the blonde beauty's waist and she bent backwards to once again view the light haired man behind her. With a wink she jerked her body back up and captured the tall man's lips within her own. On instinct he responded to her kisses, greedily demanding more from her as he slipped his tongue between her lips. A slight golden glow formed around her followed by a blast of darkness. When her eyes opened the man in front of her was gone, but now a new arm wrapped around her waist, warm breath falling heavily against her cheek.

"What did you do with your new friend?" the light haired man exhaled into her ear.

She continued her seductive motions, leaning back into him, a wanton smile gracing her lips. "It's a gift for Beryl. She'll enjoy draining that one of his life. He will do more in his sacrifice for the Dark Kingdom than he ever will in life."

"Perfect," he said, spinning her to face him. "Everything about you is perfect."

"You flatter me, Ace," she drawled.

"I worship you," he spoke hurriedly, pressing his lips roughly against hers'. She playfully nipped his lip between her front teeth, invoking a growl from him.

"Don't be too greedy," she answered haughtily.

"It's worth the risk," his hands pulled her tighter against his body. "You made me wait so long to have you back."

"Do you have me back?" her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"My arms are around you."

She placed her palm on his chest and slight burst of light appeared, pushing him back from her. "You can only wish to possess me," her words were firm and her eyes narrowed at him. Slowly she circled around him, bringing her chest to be pressed to his back. "No one can have me," she hissed in his ear. Her lips brushed against his ear as her body fell away from his. When he turned around she was gone, lost in the sea of people. A new blonde haired girl approached him, her trim body covered by a short red dress. She pulled him into the throngs of people and he licked his lips like a wolf about to dine, following after her.

"It seems as if you've lost your pet," a deep voice rumbled in Mina's ear as she watched Ace disappearing with the blonde haired girl.

"Are you here to play with me instead?" she asked innocently.

"I will do anything to you that you would like me to do," he said gruffly.

"Oh l like the sound of this already." She turned to find herself face to face with Kunzite, his long silver hair falling behind him. He was dressed in black clothing and she smiled as she stepped closer to him. "I think I have something in mind."

"And what of your date?"

She shrugged her shoulders dismissively, "It doesn't matter now that you're here. I hope that this is a pleasure visit and not for business. You know how I feel about mixing the two."

"What if we make it pleasure before business?"

"I'm not interested in that either," she frowned.

"Maybe I can convince you of otherwise," he pulled her to him and gently kissed her. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut as his hand tangled in her hair. "How about now?" he breathed into her ear, placing several more small kisses down her throat.

"I think you may have convinced me." Her voice came out throaty as she moaned at the sensation of his lips brushing tantalizingly slow over her skin. She brought her arms up to wrap around his neck and tilted her head back, allowing him better access to her long neck. His teeth crazed over her skin as his hands started to move over her body, one resting against her backside and slightly lifted her against him. The other hand started to move up her side and caressed the side of her breast. A moan escaped from her lips seconds before he roughly captured them again with his own. He spun her around, pushing her against the wall and placing his thigh between her legs in a single fluid motion. She brought one hand down over his chest and down to his waist, pulling at the material of his shirt until her fingers could slide underneath and brush against his warm skin. The feel of his firm body stirred a desire in her and she raked her nails roughly against his back, deep enough so that she could hear the growl trapped in his throat, but not so much that it drew blood. His lips finally broke from hers and he pressed their foreheads together, both gasping for air. "I need to have you," she purred. "A millennium has been too long to wait."

"A millennium," he repeated svelty.

All of the lights in the club suddenly blackened and the music cut out, leaving the crowd of people murmuring to each other in the darkness. The silence of the room slowly faded out as the intensity of the voices increased. Shrieks could suddenly be heard over the sound of glass shattering, the overhead lights bursting in bright flashes and raining down on the people below. Some people started to rush out of the club while others stood by dumbly, either too scared or too drunk to move. Kunzite instinctively created a shield over their heads preventing the shards of glass from touching them. Overhead fluorescents flashed on, casting the room in a dull greenish color. In the center of the previously crowded dance floor stood Sailor Moon, her arms crossed tensely over her chest.

"Do you think that you get to have him again?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Mina asked with annoyance.

There was a scurrying of movement across the room and Sailor Moon pointed her hand at the young couple trying to escape. Dark energy flashed from her palms, racing towards the couple and crashing into them with devastating results. "I saw you earlier with Endymion," she hissed with slanted eyes, "this is a poor testament to your loyalty."

"I am only loyal to my Princess," Mina shot back, pulling herself from Kunzite's grasp. She aggressively looked over the senshi in front of her, "not some pathetic shell of a person pretending to be so.

"I am your Princess!" her voice echoed loudly throughout the room. Dark energy started to gather and crackle around her.

"You are nothing!" Mina shot back. "You are an imposter and I will not take orders from you."

Sailor Moon launched a blast of energy at her. Kunzite lifted his hand and a shield formed in front of them, harmlessly absorbing the attack. In a flash of light Venus now stood transformed in her white fuku. Sailor Moon smiled cruelly as she took in the image of the Senshi in front of her. "You've changed," she mused.

"I'm more powerful now," Venus replied crossing her arms in front of her.

"Not more powerful than I am though." A bright light surrounded Sailor Moon, and when it faded the normal fuku that she wore was gone, now replaced by a white fuku. Her sleeves were embroidered with gold and a rainbow swath hung over the front of her skirt. Across her chest rested a golden broach, laid on top of soft feathers. A similar charm sat on her waist, settled on top of feathers with thin ribbons trailing to her knees. No longer did she wear the familiar pair of boots, now her feet were encased in a pair of delicate heels trimmed with feathers around her ankles. A long cape hung dramatically from her shoulders down to her feet. Her normal round odangos had changed as well; they were they now heart shaped with gold coverings. Mina felt as if her breath had been taken away, something about this moment sent her mind reeling, trying desperately to remember something that should have been so hard to forget. "The last time I was seen I looked like this. I am Sailor Cosmos."

"Sailor Cosmos?" Mina took a step back and bumped into Kunzite's chest. "Who are you?"

"I am Serenity, and it's your fault, Minako, that we are here."

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Hmmmm...sounds likeMinako is in trouble now!

So does anyone like the Minako/Danburite side story that I have going on? I like throwing him into the mix once in a while. He can be quite devious when he sets his mind to it! I think he's going to have a larger role in the coming chapters, but if no one likes him I may shrink his role some. Review!

On to chapter 10! And I promise it will be a nice long chapter!


	10. Chapter 10

Here it is - the final chapter. I have to say, this was quite the chapter to write with so many characters and loose ends to tie up, questions to answer. I hope everyone enjoys reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! This was certainly a much larger undertaking that I originally anticipated -- although that seems to be a common trait amongst writers here... :)

You may also notice that I've upped the rating on this story to M. There is nothing graphic in this story, only references, but just to be safe I'm making the rating M.

Thank you once again to everyone who has been reviewing. I enjoy reading your comments and even find myself getting inspired by your feedback! The only thing that I think I would like most of all is to reach that ever elusive 100th review. I have a few to go before I can reach there, but I'm hoping that all of my readers will help out (and maybe even inspire an epilogue...) begs with sad puppy eyes.

So without further ado...and with a final disclaimer that these characters are not mine, only borrowed for a little while...

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"Crescent Beam!" Sailor Venus's attack rang out. Her attack flew forward at the traitorous Shitennou, slashing him to pieces as the other Senshi watched in horror. Zoicite's screams echoed into the night even after his body hit the ground.

Sailor Venus stepped forward and looked at the other girls watching her curiously. She mentally shook her head, thinking that if not for her they might all be dead tonight. Could these really be her Senshi that struggled to fight against the Dark Kingdom so unsuccessfully? Did they retain no knowledge of anything from their past lives?

She briefly introduced herself to the group of girls as the Moon Princess just like Artemis instructed her to. From the corner of her eye she noticed a figure in black sneaking away. After the introductions were made, she excused herself with the intention of discussing her findings with her guardian. 

As she reached the end of the darkened street, she paused as a cold wind struck her. Her eyes looked to the left and her instincts told her that to go down that direction would take her to something dangerous, someone that she was so desperately missing in her life and not even aware of. This turn would have brought her to the Dark Shitennou Kunzite, who would have eagerly enjoyed himself toying with her before bringing her young life to an end. 

Slowly she turned her eyes to look forward to where the road continued on in to the park entrance. Despite the desperate plea she could hear calling to her, she decided to continue towards the park. A jolt of energy surged through her as she unconsciously stepped out of her own reality and altered the flow of time.

Her feet seemed to move of their own accord, leading her to a fate not meant to occur. A fate that now only exists because of a cold wind caused by something as insignificant as a butterfly's wings. Had she not allowed herself to be distracted by the chill air, she would have turned right at the end of the street and gone home the way that fate dictated she should. But sometimes the fates are not looking, and the timeline is allowed to run off course, forging a new destiny even when one has already been set in stone.

It was there, at the end of the street, past the entrance to the park that she found the dark figure from before sitting on top of a picnic table with his feet resting upon the bench seat. A slender white mask was clutched tightly in his hand, some inner battle raging in his mind. It was after Minako had taken several steps closer that he finally noticed the blonde in the school girl uniform.

Dark blue eyes met light blue ones as a misconstrued recognition registered between the two strangers. Minako was taken aback by the handsome stranger, instantly feeling an attraction growing between them.

Mamoru took in the details of the girl in front of him – her image hauntingly reminiscent of the beautiful Moon Princess he had once loved. She was perfect in his eyes, and much like the inner battle now taking place inside her, he fought with himself to allow this moment to pass. Usagi had seemed so important to him, but now this blonde in front of him, with her goddess-like features, left him feeling disoriented. Slowly he rose from where he was seated and approached the young girl, placing his hands on her arms.

She stared back at him curiously, and without realizing it, began to lean in just a little bit closer, drawn in by his dark eyes and the warmth of his body. Mamoru softly cupped her chin in his hand and kissed her.

Chaos lingered in the shadows, unable to take on any true form. She laughed to herself, pleased that she had managed to alter the flow of time and because of this, secured Beryl and Metallia's victory over the Princess of the Moon.

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"My fault?" Venus asked astonished. Kunzite placed his hand on her shoulder almost as if he were restraining her.

"You took Endymion from me! You stopped us from falling in love with each other and because of that we were thrown into this reality. Even now in this life you still pursue him. Is it not enough that you cost us the battle against Beryl?"

"We defeated Beryl. We defeated the Dark Moon. We defeated Master Pharaoh 90. We defeated Nephelania. Most importantly we defeated Galaxia!" Mina screamed. "I remember all of this!"

"It wasn't enough that you pretended to be me, you had to be me. You bewitched Endymion into falling for you!"

"She is the one that you were talking about?" Kunzite squeezed tightly on Mina's shoulder.

"Do you still want her now that you know her sins?" Cosmos asked.

"I have committed no sins," Venus insisted. "You are the one who is deceitful. You're not even real!" She looked back to Kunzite. "You said she was nothing more than Beryl's creation."

Cosmos broke out into a fit of laughter, her hand resting on her stomach as she slowly caught her breath. "I can't imagine that the two of you were so foolish that neither of you would see the truth. Are you so far in denial of what's in front of you?"

"I am correct, that you are not Serenity," Kunzite stated. "You do not belong in this world, not like the others do. You've somehow managed to cross from another time – that's it, isn't it?"

"I am not from your reality," Cosmos spat. "In my time we lost the battle against Beryl. I was unable to defeat her with the Silver Crystal because I didn't have the strength that I needed. The Senshi did not stand behind me; instead they were embroiled in their own private battles."

"You would stand against your own leader?" Jupiter asked accusingly, pointing at Mars.

"Better stand against her than my own Princess. Where are your loyalties, Jupiter?" Mars screamed, no longer restraining herself.

"It's not Mina's fault that Mamoru fell in love with her. Usagi is chasing after a ghost from a previous lifetime."

"A ghost?" Mars laughed bitterly.

"Does it matter either way?" Mercury interjected calmly. "Usagi is our Princess and Venus is our leader. Let the two of them resolve this on their own."

"I will not call that traitor my leader," Mars spat.

"You will call me your leader or you will call me your enemy," Venus's voice rang out from above them. She sat crouched atop the roof of the temple. "Is this what happens when I am not around?"

"This discussion is over," Jupiter spoke firmly, her arms crossed aggressively in front of her chest.

"This is far from over," Mars glared back at the green Senshi before stalking off. Jupiter muttered something unintelligibly under her breath before leaping away.

Mercury stared back at Venus unflinchingly. "It is not always like this."

"And whose side do you take, Mercury? That of your traitorous leader or of your innocent Princess?"

"I do not choose either side."

"It was Serenity's love for Endymion that ended the Silver Millennium. Should they have found themselves together again, it may have spelled the end for us and our families as well."

"I do not judge you, Venus."

"Then you are the only one," Venus responded before disappearing from view.

Mercury could feel the scream of rage building up inside of her for all of her Senshi.

"You Venus, you and Endymion betrayed me," Cosmos continued. "You made him fall in love with you. Because of you, we spent years trying to defeat Beryl and Metallia.

Eventually I learned of the stories involving the Galaxy cauldron, the place where stars are born," Cosmos continued. "I thought that maybe if I went there I could defeat Beryl, but as I stood there I realized that I still wasn't strong enough. In my desperation I came to this reality, to try and save the Sailor Moon of this time, but she didn't need me. Her Crystal had manifested its self – she had the love she needed to make the necessary sacrifice. So I returned to my time to try to make one last stand despite the irreparable devastation to this planet." She paused as if she were reliving the last epic battle before continuing once again. "I stood up to Metallia and I lost. I begged her to kill me and bring everything to an end, but instead she enslaved me to fight alongside of her. Now here I am - a slave to the Devil herself."

"So you brought Beryl here to destroy everything that we worked for and sacrificed our lives for?" Venus asked.

"Beryl discovered the route I had taken to this time and forced me to tell her what came of this reality. I had no choice but to tell her what I had learned. Your Eternal Sailor Moon was so much stronger than I. She would have been able to resist the torture I went through in order to save the ones she loved. But I was weak and submitted to her tactics. I can now forgive the Shitennou for turning on their Prince a millennia ago after understanding what they endured. But I digress, Beryl wants the Silver Crystal for its unlimited power source to feed Metallia and I want Endymion."

"Pluto would have warned us if someone crossed the timelines. It's her job to protect the time gate."

"Pluto is dead, Venus. I killed her with my own hands. It was the first test of loyalty to my new queen. She was the most loyal of my Senshi. Even when she knew of my intentions, she bowed before me and accepted her fate."

"My Princess," Pluto spoke softly as she kneeled before Sailor Cosmos. Sailor Pluto gripped her staff tightly in one hand while her other and was clutched to her chest. "I've been waiting for you."

"Then why are you not prepared to fight me," Cosmos responded blandly.

"Because that is not my fate."

"Always shrouded in mystery, even till the bitter end."

"This isn't the end, my Princess," Pluto turned her eyes up to meet those of Cosmos standing before her. "Your journey is just starting. You will not find what you are looking for on this path, but you will find the peace that your soul desires. Nothing can set right the fates that Chaos tampered with, and for that I am truly sorry. You must trust most in those that you fear, they will show you the way."

"I will find peace in my retribution towards the betrayal I have been dealt."

"You will not find that here, although I fear that I have said too much. The fates have dictated that I must die and by delaying any further, we risk altering the futures of all the timelines around us. I'm proud to have served you in the only way that I could. My Sailor Crystal is yours. May it bring you strength in your time of doubt."

Sailor Cosmos looked down on the darkly dressed Senshi before her with a mixture of confusion, sadness and anger. A dark sword appeared in her hand where once a long white staff was tightly grasped. As if of its own right, the blade swung heavily towards the Senshi of time.

Cosmos held her hands in front of her, looking darkly at her white gloved palms. Her hands quickly clenched into fists as if hiding the shame of the stains. "Uranus and Neptune stood by me as well. It was the strength of their crystals that gave me the power to keep fighting."

"You stole their sailor crystals?" Venus whispered.

"They gave them to me as their final sacrifice."

Mina's hand rose to her chest as she felt a strong pull from within her.

Cosmos slowly approached Venus, until they were face to face, the faint sound of broken glass crunching under Sailor Cosmos's heels ringing in her ears. The space around them seemed to disappear and Venus could no longer feel Kunzite's grasp on her shoulder, they were completely enveloped in a darkness that no light could ever penetrate. No sounds could be heard except the soft exhale of Cosmos's breath as it warmly fell against Venus's cheek. Venus could feel the energy surging within the silver haired Senshi in waves, a myriad of emotions running through her from the close proximity.

"Will you allow their sacrifice to be made in vain? Would you fight me and strike down your sisters-in-arms?"

"I did not want to be part of this war."

"You started his war," Cosmos spoke lowly, her hand cupping Venus's chin.

"I would never have done what you say. It's not Endymion that I want - he's never what I wanted. I have always served my Princess loyally – I have died for my Princess as many times as needed to make sure she prospered."

"Do you love your Princess?"

"I do." The words passed through Venus's lips, barely above that of a whisper. "With all that I am….."

Cosmos's lips softly brushed over Venus's lips, Venus's eyes drifted close at the sensation. As Cosmos pulled away, Venus allowed her eyes to reopen and found herself back in the shell of the nightclub, Kunzite's hand still resting on her shoulder.

"Would you make that same sacrifice for me, beautiful Venus, or are you just as selfish as my own Venus was?" Venus's face remained stoic, much like that of the expression worn by the tall man standing rigidly behind her. "Do you see now why she is not worthy of you?" Cosmos asked Kunzite. "She will not love you. In time she will go back to Endymion and discard you as if you never existed. Is this the girl that you really want to risk everything for?"

Kunzite frowned, unconsciously gripping tighter against Venus's shoulder. If she felt any pain from his hold on her, she didn't show it. "She was not with Endymion earlier."

"You would lie for her?"

"I was with Endymion and Mina was not there."

Cosmos's eyes narrowed at his admission, and her lips parted, prepared to berate him for his misplaced loyalties when she realized what it was that she had really seen in the monitor back in the Dark Kingdom. She saw the girl with the fair hair and assumed that it could have been no one else than the girl she currently pursued. "Could it be? How could I have missed it?" Cosmos muttered to herself. She looked from Kunzite to Venus and smiled softly. "You are a sneaky girl, Minako." She turned her back on the couple and walked to the center of the room. At her summons, a long white staff appeared in her hand. A bright light began to emanate from her, and in a flash the night club was alive and she was gone. Loud music reverberated throughout the room and the multitude of lights once again flashed over the dancing couples as if nothing had happened.

Venus stood frozen, amazed by the true power of Sailor Cosmos. Imagine being so powerful that time is no longer intangible and realities can be created and dismissed within the blink of an eye. She replayed the conversation in her mind, trying to understand all that had transpired. Kunzite had been quick to tell her that Sailor Moon was something akin to that of a clone, but she wasn't. Did he lie to her because he didn't know, or was it intentional? There was no reason for him to help her. So maybe he was using her to find the real Princess for Beryl after all. She turned to face the tall man behind her, his face impassive as he carefully watched her. "Did you know all of this?" she asked him, her voice firm as she tried to conceal her anger and confusion.

"I didn't know what she was," he answered her.

Her eyes remained focused intently on the perfectly calm features of his face. She fought against the foggy sensation that the Dark Kingdom had imparted on her mind, trying to make sense of everything for the first time since she had allowed Kunzite to return her to the Dark Kingdom and into Beryl's waiting arms. There was a memory pulling at her, urgently trying to tell her something, yet she couldn't hear what it was that her mind was desperately trying to tell her. "Then maybe we should be looking for the real Princess, the one that actually holds the Silver Crystal."

His eyes looked at her intently as he listened to her words, noticing the tone and pitch of her voice. "How do you know that she is in possession of it?" he asked her. "Maybe she entrusted it to someone else." He placed his hands on her arms and slid down the full length until he held her wrists, which he then pinned behind her back. The motion was not outwardly aggressive as an almost playful expression fell over his features - almost. He brought her body against his and leaned over to speak in her ear. "I want you to tell me the real reason now why you surrendered yourself to the Dark Kingdom."

Slowly her lips started to pull into a smile. "I'm pretty sure that we already agreed that there would be pleasure before business."

He inhaled sharply at her words, as if she were hypnotizing him into agreeing with her. A sweet smell invaded his nostrils and he suddenly had the urge to press her against the wall and have his way with her, despite the spectators who would be present to watch. "Don't distract me, Minako," his voice sounded hoarse as he struggled to repress the physical longing now pulling at his body. "I want to know everything. You obviously have a few secrets of your own that you've been keeping."

"Then why don't we go somewhere more private to discuss these secrets of mine?" She pulled her hands free of his grip with little effort and placed them on his chest, pressing her fingers against his body so hard that he could feel her nails through his thick shirt. "I think you owe me first though. You can't go around kissing girls the way you do and not expect them to want more." Venus swept one hand through his silvery locks and pulled herself up to meet his lips.

His eyes closed as she drew her body even closer to his own. Suddenly he felt as though he were falling and instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around her body. When his eyes opened he found himself lying on a bed that felt as if it were made of down and feathers. Mina rested on top of him; their combined weights making them sink deep into the mattress padding. "Where are we?" he asked, looking around the room for any sign of familiarity.

"It matters less where we are, then what we're going to do," she said seductively, pulling at his shirt so that the smooth skin of his defined abs was visible to her.

"We should be searching for the Crystal," he said, trying to clear his mind of the sweet scent of her surrounding him. She was intoxicating and despite every part of his mind screaming to him that she was using her abilities to control him, he still found it difficult to fight her.

"The Crystal is safe for now, no one will find it." She released her transformation and her image shimmered for a moment before clearing, leaving her nude body for his eyes to drink in. "I know where it is and I will share it with you, my Love." Mina leaned forward and placed a single kiss on his lips before moving to kiss his ear. "Although I think you already know where it is as well," she whispered softly.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words would not come to him as he felt her press the bare skin of her body against his exposed chest. Her fingers tugged at the belt around his waist and all coherent thoughts fled from his mind as he became more and more intoxicated by her sweet scent, his hands now moving of their own accord to caress the soft curves of her toned body.

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Three days earlier (Where Chapter 7 left off)….

Kunzite chuckled at her admission of defeat and wrapped his arm around her, his cape draping itself over her shoulders. Mamoru finally found his voice to speak up before they could teleport away. "Minako."

"The next time I see you, Endymion, you're going to have to kill me." She looked up to Kunzite and murmured, "Let's go." He happily obliged her by teleporting them away. Endymion continued to stare at where they once stood.

Jadeite opened the porch door and stepped out onto the patio, the same dazed look on his face from hearing the exchange. "I don't understand what happened there. She shouldn't have done that."

Artemis approached them slowly but remained on the sandy portion of the beach rather than stepping onto the patio. "You don't see it either do you?"

Endymion jerked his head to look over at Artemis. "She went back to him after she swore her loyalty to me."

"You are blind then if you can't see what is right in front of you."

"Two of my loyal guards are now dead. I am certainly not blind to that."

"Then perhaps I can explain. Although I think that there is someone you should meet first. This is my wife, Luna," he held the cat in his arms forward. "I think she may be able to bring some clarity to our situation."

Artemis gently placed the midnight black cat on the ground and took a step back as she quickly grew into a beautiful woman with long wavy dark hair. Endymion and Jadeite stared at the woman as she stretched herself in a very feline manner. Luna glanced at the two men standing in front of her and smiled, dipping into a low curtsey to Endymion. "Prince Endymion, it's been a long time. Judging by the look on your face I'd say that you don't remember me in this form."

"I'm sorry, I don't," Endymion apologized. "Please tell me what all of this means."

Luna sighed as she debated how to begin her story. She tried to keep her details concise as she moved through history, explaining their triumphs over their enemies, finally ending her tale with the final battle against Chaos. "After the defeat of Galaxia, when Serenity threw herself into the Galaxy cauldron, the Cosmos was reset. The Senshi's star seeds were sent back to their planets to grow while yours and Serenity's were returned here. An evil presence had snuck onto this planet while everything was happening and so Serenity hid her crystal and herself unconsciously."

"And Beryl found her?"

"No, I have kept her safe."

"A little too safe I'd say," a soft voice carried over to them. All eyes turned to see a small petite blonde walking towards them, her hair shimmering almost silver in the moonlight. "Endymion," her eyes watered as she spoke his name.

"Serenity?" Endymion took in her appearance, not believing that his Princess could really be standing in front of him. She stood confidently and regally like the Queen she was to someday become, her arms were raised, hands clasped tightly in front of her chest. A simple pink dress adorned her slim frame, accenting her petite form. Her blue eyes were filled with a mixture of sadness and happiness, while her lips were pulled into a hesitant smile. He could feel a pull coming from her that made him instantly recognize her as his one true love that he had been searching for all this time. It was similar to what he felt when he had been confronted by the darkly dressed Sailor Moon, but the strength of his connection to the woman in front of him could not be denied. Quickly, he crossed over to her and grabbed her shoulders, his eyes rapidly looking her over, taking in all the minute details of her features before embracing her tightly. "It is you." He cupped her face so that she was looking up into his eyes. "I was so afraid that you had become her, but I should have known that you were too strong for that. My Usako," he sighed, his fingers somehow finding themselves tangled in her long locks and he placed several kisses on the top of her head. "How is it that there are two of you?"

"I think Luna can best explain this, Endymion," Serenity spoke softly; her eyes moving back to meet his. Endymion slowly pulled his eyes from Serenity to look at Luna, although his arms still remained firmly in place around his Princess.

"Before I can continue," Luna spoke quickly, a golden crescent moon on her forehead started glowing brightly, "it's important that I help to restore your memories. A lot has happened and I'm afraid that you have only been partially awakened to all that has transpired." She closed her eyes and focused on Endymion and Jadeite, a golden light beaming from her forehead to each of theirs. Both men froze as the flood of memories began to overwhelm them, images appearing faster than they could understand until they saw the final image of Usagi's sacrifice to the Galaxy Cauldron.

Jadeite dropped to one knee before his Prince, a look of defeat on his features. "I'm sorry, Endymion. The Shitennou and I should have been there to protect you from Galaxia. Yet again we have failed in our mission."

Serenity slipped away from Endymion and crossed over to Jadeite, gently placing her hand on his cheek. He could feel a warmth seeping into his body from her touch, bringing peace to the turmoil in his mind although not easing the full guilt pervading his soul. He slowly rose from his kneeling position to stand several inches taller than her. She slowly withdrew her hand and smiled at him. "You should forgive yourself," she continued." When the Galaxy Cauldron released all of the Crystals back into the universe, you and the other Shitennou were released from your curse. Without that last battle you would not have been able to return to your Prince in human form in his true time of need."

"And what of the Senshi?" Jadeite asked angrily, even though it pained him to raise his voice to the woman in front of him.

"They sacrificed themselves to protect me, Jadeite. This is what they would have wanted."

"What of what I wanted?" he responded. A sharp pang tugged at his heart thinking about the red clad Senshi that he never had the chance to be reunited with.

"Jadeite!" Endymion scolded, taking a step closer.

"No, Endymion," Serenity gestured for him to stay where he was. "I know how you felt about Sailor Mars," she turned back to Jadeite, "and I'm sorry that things happened this way. I would have never demanded such a sacrifice from my Senshi just as Endymion would never ask it of you." Light blue eyes turned to look at the tall woman with flowing dark hair topped with a set of small odangos amongst the multitude of curls. "Luna, please continue."

"It seems that there was a disruption in the time space continuum. Sailor Pluto was killed some time ago, leaving the timegate vulnerable to be taken over by a dark force. Somehow our timeline has intersected with another one– that's where this other Sailor Moon has come from. She is not of this time, but she is who she says she is. For whatever her reasons, she appears to be after Serenity's Crystal."

"I don't understand," Endymion interrupted her. "Is she the Serenity of the future then?"

"She is from a time farther along than ours in some ways yes, but she not from our future," Luna paused, her brow furrowed as if deep in thought. "She is from another reality. At one point we were one and the same with hers, but then an event occurred that caused something to change that separated our futures. I don't know what it was in her time that changed, that's something that only she can tell us if she is willing to. If we had the Silver Crystal in its entirety I'm sure that we would be able to find out how it is that she got here."

"Mina said that she and I have the pieces of the Crystal. Is this true?" Endymion asked quickly.

"No, it's not," Luna answered.

Artemis cleared his throat. "Mina does have a piece of the Crystal in her, and she knows this. When Kunzite appeared with the other stones, I think she realized what they were," Artemis took a step closer to Luna. "I think she also realized that Serenity was nearby when she saw me with Luna. She didn't betray you, Endymion; she was trying to protect her Princess's identity."

"This is better?!" he yelled at Artemis. "It's better than she fights against us?"

"She willingly sacrificed herself in her Princess's place!" Artemis countered. "This is her sworn duty above all else!"

"Please!" Serenity raised her voice, holding her arms out between the two men. "We can't fight amongst ourselves. I know the leader of my Senshi - that is why I entrusted her with the largest piece. There are still two pieces left to collect before the Crystal can become complete – the one from Venus and the other from Mars." Serenity sighed and Endymion moved to stand next to her, grasping her hand. "I will need to keep my identity hidden for a while longer; it's not yet time for Beryl to discover where I am."

"I will continue to be at your service, my Princess," Luna bowed her head as she spoke.

"As will I," Artemis stepped forward and kneeled before Serenity. "I trust that Mina has made the right choice and now that I have fulfilled my responsibilities to her, I am at your service. I will do whatever it is that you require of me."

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Cosmos appeared in the throne room of the Dark Kingdom, dropping down to one knee. Beryl stood up and stared down at the silver haired Senshi in the white fuku. "I can only assume that you have revealed your true identity if you are coming to me dressed as this."

"I have found the Princess, Queen Beryl. She is with Endymion."

"How can you be sure?"

"Venus has known all along, she concealed the Princess's identity and lied to you."

"Venus lied to me?" Beryl asked calmly, arching her eyebrow in amusement. "You seem surprised by this. I have been waiting for Venus to lead me to her. Why do you think I've had Kunzite following her around?"

"You said that you did not trust him either."

"Kunzite cannot directly betray me - he is far too loyal for that and always has been. I had instructed him to lead Venus astray, to feed her information so that she would put together the pieces of the puzzle for us. My own concern for him was that he may forget who his true mistress is and inadvertently assist his lover more than I intended. We all have our own agendas, Serenity, and now you know mine."

"I want what you promised me, Beryl. Endymion and Venus are mine to do what I chose with."

"Serenity, you may do whatever it is that you wish with the two of them. All I want is the Silver Crystal. And with the power of Metallia behind us," Beryl raised her arms and the ground started to tremble beneath them, "we will be unstoppable."

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Mina moaned at the pleasurable sensations coursing through her. Kunzite's fingers wound themselves tightly against her own as he slowly slid her arms above her head, holding her securely underneath him. Her body instinctively moved against his, her actions revealing a neediness that she had been repressing for a millennium. His lips brushed lightly against hers, teasing her with their touch. She fought against his hold to reach for his face, demanding more of his kisses, but could not pull her hands from his grasp. Her back arched at his sudden movements and her eyes fluttered closed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her than she thought possible. The soft ground felt cool beneath her skin, the grass tickling her bare back as the man resting above her increased his movements. Their clothes lay discarded in a heap next to them having been hastily removed.

Words, pleads for more, slipped from her lips desperately. His forehead pressed against hers, the sweat of their brows intermingling. He whispered something in response, but in her current state she couldn't hear him nor could she force herself to pay attention. He transferred both of her smaller hands into one of his larger hands, freeing his fingers to trail down the length of her arm, coming to a stop as they brushed intimately along her cheek.

Her nails dug deeper into his back, raking across the skin, yet he still paid no heed. She could hear him whispering to her, but she couldn't understand the words he mumbled into her hair. Feeling as though she could no longer resist the sensations taking over her body, she arched her back against him, her breathing increased to a near panting sound.

'Minako,' he spoke her name intensely. 'Not yet, my Minako.'

'Kunzite,' she moaned, biting her lip in frustration, her body no longer responding to her own command.

'Look at me, Minako,' he growled.

Her eyes opened and she felt herself captivated by the depths of his green eyes. 

'I belong to you, Minako,' he whispered to her, quickly covering her mouth with a kiss and pushing himself into her one last time.

Instinctively Mina's eyes opened and she was met with Kunzite's gray eyes. Behind the cool coloring she could still see the pair of green eyes staring back at her. His words were still lost to her, but somehow she knew what they were and it was enough as her body finally reached its zenith and all comprehension was lost as the sensation of him inside her consumed her. His name passed through her lips between ragged breaths before he finally collapsed himself on top of her, his forehead pressing lovingly against her own as he struggled to bring himself back down from his momentary high.

His hand released hers, his fingers now seeking refuge in the silken strands of her hair as he shifted his weight off of her. Mina slowly licked her lips, attempting to ease the dryness that had claimed them. "I belong to you," she whispered, Kunzite's green eyes flashing through her mind once more.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"That was your promise to me," she spoke softly, resting her hand along his jaw. "You told me that you belonged to me." Her fingers trailed down his neck and over the planes of his chest to rest above his heart. "A piece of me is in you, and a piece of you is in me."

He relinquished his hold on her hair to gently enclose her smaller hand under his own, pressing her palm against his chest. "We are together again."

"Yet so far apart. You so eagerly follow Beryl even when you know that you cannot trust her. I can feel it within you, you have turned against me. Why is it that you would so easily allow her to control you?"

"I can't resist the call, Minako," his voice sounded pained, as if trying to suppress an emotion.

"Then why were you helping me when you should have been trying to stop me?"

"Why did you surrender yourself to me?" he countered.

"Have we moved straight on to business then?" her cool blue eyes held firm to his piercing gray eyes.

"You are the one who started this interrogation, my Princess."

"I suppose I did."

"Will you feign ignorance rather than answer my questions?"

"I will answer one of yours and in exchange you will answer mine." His eyes narrowed for a moment before acknowledging her request with a slight nod of his head. "Serenity was nearby and I felt that I had to distract you from finding her when she was right in front of you."

"Beryl has instructed me to kill you in order to obtain the Crystal," his tone was light, but there was a menacing sound behind it.

"So you know?"

"I've known. I could feel the power inside of you."

"And now Beryl knows that I hold the last piece of Crystal?"

"If you are willing to fight besides me I will protect you from her."

Mina frowned at his words. "I told you, I am not fighting in Beryl's battle. My actions are my own - let her do her own dirty work."

"You don't have a choice."

She opened her mouth to respond to his ultimatum but was silenced when she felt a tremor traveling through the building, making the room shudder as the ground shifted slightly. The moonlight shining in through the windows was quickly replaced by darkness, the moon disappearing within the dark folds of the ominous cloud overhead. As lightning flashed like strobes across the skyline, the faint sounds of screams breaking through the silence of the outside world could be heard. "What's happening?" Mina asked, quickly transforming into her white fuku.

"It's Metallia," he hissed as he retrieved his pants from the floor and quickly pulled them on. "Beryl has released her."

"My Princess," Mina gasped.

Kunzite grabbed her, holding her arms tightly in his hands. "You're with me or against me, Minako. Which one is it?"

"My actions are my own," she repeated firmly.

He held one of her hands against his chest, just above his heart. "A piece of you is inside of me, those were your words." His eyes softened as her frown lightened. "You can trust me, Minako. As soon as Serenity makes the Crystal appear we will take it and leave her behind, safe with Endymion."

"And then we will use the Crystal to free ourselves from Beryl's hold?"

"I want this to end as much as you do. Once it is all over we can be together," he watched her intently, appearing indifferent despite the meaning of his words.

Mina stared back at him as the battle raging outside grew louder in intensity, rivaling her own inner conflict. Her eyes darkened as she finally understood what needed to be done. "Of course, my love," she purred. "It will be just as you say. I will break Beryl's hold on us once I have the Crystal and we will finally be together."

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It started with a small tremor, the ground shaking with the beginnings of an Earthquake. The night sky overhead became a sheet of black, the stars and moon hidden from view. Faintly the sounds of screaming could be heard off in the distance followed by quick, bright flashes of light leaving the skyline an ominous shade of red and purple. Usagi woke with a start and ran outside, quickly flanked by the other occupants of the house.

"Beryl knows I'm here," she said fearfully. "The Silver Crystal is not whole yet, we're not ready to fight her."

"How could she know? I'm sure that Kunzite didn't see you," Mamoru responded.

"We have no choice but to fight as we are," Artemis spoke up.

A glow surrounded Mamoru as he transformed into his dark armor. Endymion clasped his hand to his chest, suddenly looking winded. "She's destroying this planet from the inside out. Elysian…." He fell to his knees, unable to finish his sentence. Usagi knelt in front of him, trying to support some of his weight. More screams could be heard, the flashes increased in intensity. Beryl's youma freely wondered the planet, sucking energy from anything living, preparing for Metallia's final stand.

A cold draft was felt behind them, and they all turned to see Sailor Venus flanked by Kunzite standing behind them. "We're here for the Crystal, Serenity," Venus spoke firmly, "and we're not leaving without it."

"I don't have the Crystal, Minako – I think we both know this," Usagi answered calmly.

"How do we make it whole?" Venus asked impatiently.

"Minako," Artemis spoke her name softly, but loud enough that it carried over to her despite the surrounding sounds of the waves crashing aggressively against the coast, and what could only be described as thunder rumbling overhead. He stepped towards his charge, ignoring Luna's desperate plea for him to keep his distance.

"Artemis," Venus arched her brow, staring at him with a cold indifference.

"Let Serenity heal you," he pleaded.

"Come no closer. I will not tell you a second time," she warned him.

"I will not stand by and watch you become this abomination standing before me! This is not the Venus that I was charged with protecting. My Venus would never threaten her Princess."

"Your Venus is no more!" she shouted. Her finger raised level with his chest, a golden blast tainted with dark strands shot from her finger and slammed against Artemis knocking him off his feet and sliding him several yards across the beach. Luna's distraught scream echoed in everyone's ears as she ran to kneel over the form of her fallen lover. "Does anyone else want to verify my intentions?"

"You attacked your own Guardian," Usagi responded, her hand suspended over her mouth in shock.

"That was a lifetime ago, just as my servitude was to you. Now where are the other Crystals, Endymion?"

Jadeite moved to stand in front of his fallen Prince, trying to shield him with his body. "Endymion has entrusted the stones to me," he stated boldly, holding a small leather pouch in his hand. "You will not have the stones, Venus."

Venus looked over to Jadeite. "I want those stones and you will not stand between me and my victory."

"You will have to get through me first," came Jadeite's firm reply.

"We are not bargaining here, give it to me."

"No."

"Always insolent even till the end," Kunzite sighed. "If I must pry them from your dead hands then so be it." A boomerang formed in his hand, taking on an iridescent glow as it charged with the raw energy of Kunzite's attack. Jadeite unsheathed his sword and slashed through the launched attack, dispersing the blast so that the fragments flew harmlessly away.

"You have two choices, Jadeite," Venus called out to him. "You can either give it to me or give it to Beryl, and I assure you she has worse intentions in mind than I do."

"And what about me?" Sailor Cosmos asked as she appeared, forming a triangular point between the other two groups. "Although I must confess that my interests are at least a little selfish." She smiled wantonly as she took in the faces of those around her, finally allowing her eyes to settle on Endymion and Usagi. "We meet again," she looked at Usagi. "It's a shame that now I will have to kill you. It's for the better though, I promise you. You should never have to feel the loss and betrayal that I have."

"Chaos is the one who did this to you, Sailor Cosmos," Usagi insisted.

"You can't reason with her, Serenity, believe me I have tried," his voice was devoid of emotion as he glared at the white clad Senshi with the flowing white cape.

"Endymion, I'm wounded by your words," she feigned hurt, her hand resting against her chest daintily. "They cut me like a knife."

"This is a splendid reunion," Venus cut in, "but there is no more time for this nonsense. I want the Crystal. Love me chain!" Venus's golden chain flew from around her waist towards Usagi. The smaller girl remained as still as a statue watching as the chain sped towards her. At the last second she shut her eyes tightly and flinched at the sound of metal on metal clashing above her. She cracked her eyes open and saw that Endymion had unsheathed his sword and now had Venus's chain wrapped tightly around the blade, a pained look stretched across his features as he struggled to hold her chain at bay. Venus sprang into action, dropping the chain and leaping high into the air, landing to the side of Usagi. She grabbed onto the girl tightly and quickly leapt away again before Endymion could move to stop her. Kunzite dropped back into a fighting stance and formed two more boomerangs in his hands and held them aimed at both Endymion and Jadeite, daring them to take action.

"How do I piece together the Crystal?" Venus asked harshly.

"It will kill you, Mina," Usagi spoke quickly, her voice dry and eyes wide.

"I planned on it," Venus's voice dropped so that only the two of them could hear her words.

Kunzite approached the two women and formed a shield around them, the boomerangs in his hand dissolving. He stood close behind Venus and leaned over to speak in her ear - his face devoid of any emotion. "Take care of her, Minako," he spoke sweetly to her.

Danburite's arms wrapped around her as they stood in her apartment. "In my last lifetime I loved you and I will continue to love you in every other as well," Danburite said kissing her softly on the cheek.

"It is all a game, Minako. He will let you believe that he still loves you, but you can't trust his words." Danburite's words echoed in the back of her mind as if he still stood behind her.

Venus looked back at Kunzite one last time and turned to face Usagi. "This is the way it has to be," Venus stated, a long dark sword forming in her hands. "Do you recognize this blade, Princess? It's the blade of the Silver Crystal. At first it refused to accept me as its master, but as you can see, it only took a little persuading to tame it."

"Mina…." Usagi reached out for the girl in front of her, sadness pervading her senses.

"I'm sorry," Venus held the sword up and in one swift motion swung the blade so that it passed under her arm, implanting itself into the chest of the man behind her.

"What will you do to him to repay him for his treachery?" Danburite asked her.

"His treachery?"

"He caused your Princess to turn against you. He allowed you to fall in love with him again. He has left you for her. Great power calls to great power, it is inevitable that they will find themselves together." Danburite's lips pulled into a smile. "Kill him."

Kunzite's eyes opened wide as he stared down at the blade protruding from his chest. Usagi stared in horror as he fell to his knees, screaming words that Venus could not hear. Venus withdrew the sword from him and dropped to the ground in front of him, allowing the sword to fall from her hand and clatter next to her. "I'm so sorry." She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the warm blood seeping onto her white uniform. "I'm the only one who could stop you, my love." A single tear rolled down her cheek. "I promised you that I would stop Beryl so that we could be together, now I will soon join you."

"Minako," he gasped, the color draining from his face. His body gave out and the whole of his weight slumped against her. She slowly released him so that he crumpled to the floor before standing up herself and turning back to face her Princess, sword back in hand.

"Take my Sailor Crystal, Princess," Venus begged.

"Minako….." Usagi sobbed.

"If you don't kill me, I will be forced to kill you. Do it now!"

"You don't get to die like this, Mina!" Cosmos shouted, her white staff raised. "After what you have done to all of us, your death will not be so simple!" She thrust her staff forwards and an invisible force hit Sailor Venus and threw her against the ground. "You will pay for everything that you have done!" Another blast hit Venus and the blonde screamed as her body was once again slammed against the ground. Endymion quickly formed a rose in his hand and threw it at Cosmos, scraping against the knuckles on her one hand. Her attention was quickly turned towards the kneeling man in black armor who was flanked by his last Shitennou. "Even in this time you turn against me for her!" Cosmos exclaimed.

"Torturing this innocent girl will not set right whatever it is that you believe has been done to wrong you," he retorted.

"You are far from innocent in this yourself, Endymion," Cosmos spat. She crossed over to Endymion as if she had forgotten that there was anyone else around them. "Why have you forsaken me, Endymion? Why did you stop loving me?"

Endymion watched her cautiously while keeping his eyes trained on Usagi. "You have not been forsaken, I have always loved you."

"You left me for her," Cosmos spoke pitifully while crouching in front of him. "I needed you, but you weren't there for me."

"So you would sacrifice the innocent lives of those on my planet?"

"This isn't what I wanted," she protested. She gently laid her staff down on the ground and placed one hand on Endymion's cheek, and the other atop his hand clutched tightly to his chest. "But it doesn't matter anymore. You and I can be together once this is over."

"I cannot be with someone who has done what you have."

"But all of this was done for you! I have found all the pieces of the Silver Crystal, the counterpart to your Golden Crystal. We will rule together."

"This planet is dying, Serenity." His eyes looked into hers. "I am dying."

"But I did this for you…."

"Save my planet, Cosmos, you have the strength."

"I am weak. Without you, my Silver Crystal never had the power that it needed to defeat Metallia. With this Crystal I will win this battle against Metallia and free myself from her hold."

"It's not about me, Serenity. You have had the strength within you this entire time."

Jadeite slowly backed away from Endymion and Cosmos who no longer seemed to notice his presence. He moved to kneel by Kunzite where Usagi was already leaning over him, pressing her hands against his wound with no effect. "You were supposed to be the greatest of us." His words were bitter but his tone was compassionate.

"And because of that I am the weakest," Kunzite sputtered.

"I will heal you with the Crystal," Usagi sobbed. "Endymion needs you."

"No, Princess," he gasped as a wave of pain and dizziness overtook him. "Mina was right to do what she did. All I ask is that you cleanse me so that I won't die as one of Beryl's minions once more."

"Endymion and the Princess will live," Jadeite vowed to his commander.

"Then you will need this," he reached into his pocket and pressed the ruby into Jadeite's palm.

"Kunzite…." Venus spoke weakly, crawling towards her fallen lover. Her body was injured from the attack Cosmos had unleashed on her, several cuts and scratches covering her body. Jadeite wondered for a moment how much of the blood staining her fuku may have actually been hers. Venus grabbed onto Kunzite's hand and knelt by his side as best she could. Kunzite's eyes took in her image before closing for the last time.

Jadeite slowly rose from his kneeling position and pulled a reluctant Usagi away. He gingerly fingered the stone in his hand before bringing it to his lips and holding it there for a moment, imagining that Sailor Mars was in front of him, kissing him back. In his other hand he still held the leather pouch containing the other stones. With shaking fingers he opened the pouch and emptied the contents into his hand, placing the ruby in the center of the pile. Serenity watched him with wide eyes as he placed all of the stones into her hands. His eyes cast back to Venus once again and he unsheathed his sword, a dangerous glint showing in his eyes as he tried to suppress his feelings of hesitation.

Venus squeezed onto Kunzite's hand and she envied him that he was free from this battle while she was forced to continue. The Dark Energy in her was pushing her to fight against her Princess and Endymion, but the loyalty ingrained into her as a Senshi fought back against her compulsion. With each passing moment she could feel her strength waning as the dark side of her fought to take over. "I will be with you, my Love."

"Even now you still profess your love for him?" Danburite spat, appearing behind her, his sword drawn.

"I have no choice," she whispered.

"I foretold to you once that your love will be hopeless for all eternity."

"Then I killed you, but it's not as you told me it was. You were not spared by my Princess."

"No, I wasn't. But Beryl had the strength to bring me back so that once again I could confront you. I knew this time that I would have your love," he spoke reverently, stroking her hair as if she were a child.

"And because for that moment we were reunited, your fortune was reversed. It was through your own actions that he and I were reunited." She kept her eyes trained on Kunzite's face, preparing herself for Danburite to strike – and was not disappointed. His blade passed through her back and protruded from her chest. She gasped deeply but found that she could not bring air into her body, her lung was punctured. Danburite withdrew the sword and Venus's body crumpled to land on top of Kunzite's.

He stared at her form, an odd mixture of anger and hurt, his sword held loosely at his side with Venus's blood coating the surface. Jadeite lunged forward with his sword and slashed at Danburite who was barely able to bring his sword up in time to parry the attack and stumbled trying to regain his balance. Jadeite swung his sword once more and again Danburite countered, a sneer marring his features. "I did you a favor," he spat. "I saved you from having to do what I have just done. You should thank me."

"I'll thank you in hell!" Jadeite retorted, increasing the intensity of his attack. In his haste, the master swordsman allowed his movements to become sloppy and was struck in the arm with the tip of Danburite's sword, leaving a trail of blood to seep through the sleeve of his white jacket. Jadeite hissed at the pain and dropped back a step, his sword still held forward in defense.

"Please! Stop!" Usagi yelled. In her hand she all of the stones clenched tightly.

"Space Sword Blaster!" The flurried attack launched at Danburite and the intensity of the blades cut against his skin with brutal results.

"Princess," Neptune turned to faced Usagi. "We are late, but we are here. It's time to do what you must."

"Everyone is dying around me," Usagi wept. "This planet will never recover."

Sailor Saturn stepped out from behind Neptune and Uranus, her glaive standing tall against her short frame. Usagi could see the sadness that was ever present in the endless depths of those dark eyes. "It was not meant to recover," she spoke solemnly. "I am here to bring an end to the suffering."

"But all that we have fought for…."

"Where there is death there is life. Please, Princess, it's time to use your Crystal." She raised her pale hand and gestured to the stones grasped tightly in Usagi's white knuckled hands.

With a hesitant sigh, Usagi nodded her head and the stones slowly started to merge together, becoming a white ball of light that transformed her simple pink dress into a flowing white gown. The intensity of the light brightened to reveal Eternal Sailor Moon, a large pair of wings rested on her back.

Artemis's eyes fluttered open, the light of the Silver Crystal energizing him. Luna watched as he struggled to sit up, fussing over the gaping wound on his shoulder. "I'm ok, Luna," his spoke consolingly. "She did this to keep me out of the fight. My Minako was still in her." Tears filled his eyes as he looked over to see Venus's lifeless body, a golden glow enveloping her and the man underneath her.

Danburite dropped to his knees as he stared into the white hot heat of the Silver Crystal's glow. The light washed over him and transformed his Dark Kingdom uniform into golden armor. On his forehead rested the sigil of the planet Venus, glowing brightly as the remaining shards of darkness was cleansed from his body.

"Stop it!" says Minako. "Ace! Just who are you!? How did you know I was born of Venus!?" 

He takes off his mask, and looks into her eyes. 

"I am Adonis." 

The mark of Venus shines on his forehead. 

"I burn with passion for you. We were supposed to love one another. I am your mystical lover." 

"The sign of the guardian of the planet Venus!" thinks Minako. "Is he also Venus's...!?" 

"But you do not know me," he says. "In my previous life, I had no rank. I was a miserable soldier in a remote region. You lived in a palace overlooking Venus. The chosen strongest sailor soldier, shining brightly. Before long, for your mission, you went to the ruler of the solar system, the moon. That planet, radiating unsurpassed light. A planet eternally unreachable to us. Then, we were borrowed for the war taking place on the chief planet. By the soldiers under direct supervision of the Prince..." 

The young Adonis stands among Endymion's soldiers. 

Venus holds Selenity in her arms. 

"Finally meeting you... The lovely goddess of beauty and war..." 

He sees Venus staring into Kunzite's eyes. 

He touches her face. 

"I knew then... If I changed one wheel of fate, the two of us might fall in love..." 

He looked over to where Venus's body lay atop of Kunzite's, a tear falling from his cheek as the same white light washed over their bodies, transforming their uniforms to those of the Silver Millennium. Venus's fuku transformed into her white and orange Senshi uniform, accented with blue bows. Kunzite's dark gray uniform faded to away to his Shitennou uniform. The light continued to increase its brilliance on the couple until they started to fade away, their essences disappearing into a collage of golden bubbles.

The wind picked up and started whipping harshly around them. Cosmos looked away from Endymion, her attention distracted by the glowing of the Crystal. "She has the Crystal…"

Cosmos rose to stand but was stopped by Endymion. "You have the power to help her."

"I am weaker than Eternal Sailor Moon," she spoke shamefully. "I don't have the same power that she does."

"You are the only one who can make this right. Heal the rift in time and return Metallia to your own time. If Metallia continues to devour this planet and its people she will become unstoppable."

"But without you…"

"You are not without me," he spoke softly and pulled Cosmos to him, placing a soft kiss on her lips. His body ached from the devastation of his planet, but he suppressed it, his hope placed on the lost woman in front of him. "I am always by your side," he whispered.

"I am not alone anymore," she spoke softly to herself. "I will stop Metallia and save your planet. I will make things right for you once again." Cosmos rose to face the brilliance of the Silver Crystal radiating in the hands of Eternal Sailor Moon. She walked over to her counterpart and removed the heart shaped broach from her chest, exposing the Cosmos Crystal.

Endymion watched as the two women stood facing each other and felt a surge of relief as the pain in his chest began to subside. The combined power of the Crystals were working to heal his planet, although he knew that nothing would be able to repair the damage done or to save the lives that had been lost. His looked to Sailor Saturn and watched as she raised her glaive high into the air before closing his eyes and bracing himself for the end.

"Minako!" A girl's voice called out to her. "We're going to be late!" Makoto ran past her down the long hallway wearing a sleeveless pink gown that was held up by silken straps tied behind her neck, the ends trailing softly down her exposed back. 

Rei came up from behind her and pulled on her right arm, dragging her down the white halls, the brown haired girl already out of sight. "Of all days, Minako….." her voice trailed off.

Minako tried to grasp her surroundings. She didn't know how she found herself in the hallways of the Moon Palace. The last thing she remembered she was outside-

"You're not going to wear that are you?" Rei asked, looking over the blonde haired girl as they ran.

She looked over at Rei and noticed that she also wore a pink colored gown that seemed to flow around her body as if it had a life of its own. The front of the dress was layered so that the gown seemed to wrap itself around the raven haired girl. Then she looked down at her arm being held tightly by the girl in front of her and noticed that she wore her sailor fuku, her once white gloves were now stained a coppery brown. Interesting, she didn't remember falling –

"We're never going to make it if you have to change first. It's too late now though." They stopped running as they reached a set of tall white doors. Rei pulled on the large silver handle and shoved Minako through. She stumbled as her orange heels caught on the carpeting, but righted herself when a strong arm reached out and caught her from her right side. Kunzite stared down at her, looking handsome as he was dressed in his Shitennou uniform and ceremonial armor. They started to walk slowly down the red lined carpet. Panicked, Minako turned her head and looked back to see Ami behind her wearing the same pink dress as Rei, only her dress had longer sleeves to it. Next to her stood Zoicite, who was dressed in similar armor to Kunzite's. They followed at the same slow pace behind her and Kunzite, arm in arm, whispering to each other as Minako had often seen them do.

"It's ok, Minako," Kunzite whispered reassuringly to her. "We're almost to the end."

Her eyes looked up at his not understanding what was happening. As she looked around she noticed rows of benches surrounded their walk way, several hundred sets of eyes watched them passing by, their faces were a blur. What was at the end –

"Smile my Princess," Kunzite whispered before kissing her cheek and giving her a gentle shove to the left. Serenity smiled softly, wearing a flowing white dress. The other Senshi came to stand next to her, all watching as their paired Shitennou took their place at Endymion's side. For a moment they were all together again. But why would they have been lost to -

"Endymion and I are married now," Serenity whispered to her. "I never want to be apart from him again, and now I won't have to be, we'll be together here forever."

Here? Where was here? Endymion reached for Serenity and kissed her. Minako watched them for a moment as they parted and stared into each other's eyes. She looked out to scan the crowd but found that everyone was gone. The rows of benches that once held hundreds of spectators were now empty. Confused she turned back to Serenity but found she was alone at the altar. What was happening? Where did everyone go? What was she missing?

She ran over to the exit on her left and pulled the door open, cautiously stepping into a pitch black room. A loud creak could be heard as the door fell shut behind her, trapping her in the vast emptiness. Her hands reached out around her, trying to find anything, and gasped when another hand grasped her own tightly, their fingers becoming securely intertwined. Kunzite stepped in front of her and somehow they became illuminated in the darkness.

"We're at the end now, Minako."

The end? Words would not come to her as she allowed herself to be embraced by him. 

"I'm sorry that it happened this way. I love you." He kissed her and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Minako," a voice called faintly around her. She would not allow herself to be released from Kunzite's grasp despite the familiarity of the voice calling to her. The magic that illuminated them slowly faded out until there was nothing left but darkness.

"She's gone, Artemis," Luna whispered softly to the white haired man kneeling over the form of the still blonde on the ground. Blood surrounded her small frame, her white fuku and blonde locks stained by the sticky substance. The fighting surrounding them had come to an end once Queen Selenity called upon the awe-inspiring power of the Silver Crystal. Luna and Artemis had gone in search of the Senshi but were horrified to find that one by one each had been mercilessly killed. There was nothing left of the Moon Palace, it's once beautiful essence was now tarnished by the same evil that blackened out the blue planet the Princess had been so infatuated with. The only thing that was left of this serene civilization was the two advisors from Mau and their dying Queen. Only the soldier of death with her blessed glaive of silence could end all of their suffering now.

"We're at the end now, Minako." Tears rolled from Artemis's eyes as he kissed his charge on the forehead one last time. "I'm sorry that it happened this way. I love you," he whispered softly as he stood up slowly, allowing Luna to wrap her arms around him sympathetically. They looked once more at Venus's body, taking the time to glance at the silver haired Shitennou who laid at her side, his blood intermingling with her own. His hand had clasped tightly around her's, their fingers securely intertwined.

Luna looked up to Artemis with sad eyes. "We need to go to Selenity, we're almost to the end."

Always with the end comes hope and rebirth….

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I really hope everyone liked the story - start to finish. In time I think I will go back and make some revisions. But for now...please review!! Here I come lucky 100!

I borrowed Danburite's flashback from the great and wonderful Naoko from Code Name Wa Sailor V, in the final book. I also borrowed the last line from one of the Sailor Moon books, although I'm embarassed to say that I don't remember which one. I think Venus said it just before she and the Senshi sacrified their pens to Sailor Moon in the battle against Metallia.


	11. Chapter 11 Epilogue

So I confess - I lied! I posted the final chapter of Dancing With Darkness, waited 5 minutes, then started writing this epilogue. Now I think I'm finally satisfied enough to let this story go. I really enjoyed writing this final installment and I think it answers some of the questions that people had at the end of the last chapter. I also made some adjustments to the end of the last chapter because I think it was definitely missing something and my edits were based on the feedback that I received from all of your wonderful reviews!! So if anyone has time, please reread the ending of chapter 10 and hopefully that will also clear up a few things (plus I would love your feedback on the changes!).

Again, thank you to everyone who has been with me and for everyone that has reviewed. I'm closer to that 100 mark if anyone wants to help me reach my goal of 100 reviews!

Anyway, with less rambling that usual, please read, enjoy, and review!

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"That can't be the end of the story…." ChibiUsa pouted. "There has to be more."

CereCere looked curiously at PallaPalla before turning back to the pink haired Princess. "What do you mean more? The battle's over. Isn't that a good thing?"

"That's not what I meant. What happened after Saturn's glaive fell?"

"Maybe I'm confused…." CereCere muttered.

"That's nothing new," VesVes commented, although the other girls knew that despite her cool tone she meant it in jest.

PallaPalla cleared her throat as CereCere started to open her mouth in response. "I think what ChibiUsa is asking is what you meant by hope and rebirth."

CereCere grinned and turned to ChibiUsa. "I would think it's obvious since we are all here today." Her arms gestured to the enclosed space around them, the tall thick shrubs providing them with the ideal hideaway.

At ChibiUsa's urging, CereCere finally agreed that they would all ditch their afternoon classes in order to have a day of fun. JunJun had even gone as far as to sneak out sweets from the kitchen while the cook had her back turned so that they would have something to snack on while they sat perched in their favorite hiding spot tucked away in the garden maze. It was probably the nicest summer day they've had all season and the girls were ecstatic to be able to spend it outside even though they knew that they would be in trouble if they got caught skipping their classes again.

The pink haired guardian had been out exploring one day when she discovered this blocked in area of the labyrinth through some brambles of the tall shrubs. Even the ceiling was grown over with branches to prevent this spot from being viewed from above. Either the architect had made a mistake in the design, or else he wanted a place to hide while taking breaks himself. Regardless, this spot had been their best kept secret if not their only kept secret….

The four girls making up the Sailor Quartetto sat with their Princess on a blanket they kept stashed away, amongst other assorted items, in this location rather than have to bring materials back and forth and risk being caught. The few snacks that remained un-eaten where left in the center of their circle along with several flower petals as CereCere tended to leave trails of them when she became excited. Needless to say, she had been acting out the story nearly as much as she had been talking and so the petals had become quite abundant over the course of the afternoon.

"Is this even a true story?" ChibiUsa spoke to CereCere, but looked at PallaPalla knowing that the blue haired girl would make sure CereCere's answer was truthful.

"ChibiUsa!" CereCere gasped, her face appearing to be astonished as well as hurt. JunJun elbowed VesVes as she bit her lip trying not to laugh while VesVes merely rolled her eyes, both girls had long since become accustomed to the dramatic antics of their pink haired leader. "Of course this is the truth," she clucked her tongue. "But if you feel this way then I will be sure to keep any new and interesting stories to myself since you find them too farfetched to be bothered by them." She crossed her arms and turned her head to the side, looking aimlessly around at the tall shrubs surrounding them.

"No, Cere!" ChibaUsa squealed, climbing over the assorted snacks in front of her to embrace her friend. "I didn't mean it that way!"

"Good! Because I heard the most delicious gossip today about my favorite couple!" she gushed.

"No more gossip," VesVes chided. "Didn't you learn your lesson the last time you spread gossip around?"

"But it was really interesting…." she whined.

ChibiUsa sat next to her friend and held her hand consolingly. "I'm not ready to change the subject yet!" she protested. "I'm sure the rest of you must have heard about this. Please tell me," she begged of the other three girls who looked at her blankly.

VesVes quickly pinched JunJun's hip and looked at her knowingly. JunJun silently mouthed the word 'no' to the red haired girl but only received a sharper pinch on her hip in response. JunJun hesitantly looked up at her Princess before continuing. "I heard my Sensei talk about something horrible that happened when she was a young girl. She said it was the catalyst for the birth of Crystal Tokyo."

"I heard that there was a great darkness before that claimed many innocent lives," VesVes spoke hurriedly, shooting a sharp looked at the blue haired PallaPalla.

"I heard that the world was encased in some sort of Crystal for nearly a millennia," PallaPalla spoke quietly.

"You know how hard it can be to get anything out of my Sensei," CereCere whispered conspiratorially even though there was no one within earshot. "But once I heard her apologizing to him and that's where I picked up some of the juicier parts of the story."

"That's all that you heard though?" ChibiUsa asked again. "I'm still confused. What did Eternal Sailor Moon's crystal do? And what did Sailor Cosmos's Cosmos crystal do? Most of all, why did Sailor Saturn have to end everything the way that she did? The Silver Crystal should have been enough to make everything better."

"You ask too many questions," CereCere responded with mock annoyance.

Again VesVes rolled her eyes as she could see CereCere basking the extra attention she was receiving. "Don't you get it ChibiUsa?" she asked exasperatedly. "She's making the whole story up."

The smile fell from ChibiUsa's lips. "But you all just said…."

"VesVes was just having fun at CereCere's expense," JunJun laughed. "We were only kidding."

"But it's true!" CereCere exclaimed. "It all happened!" The other girls stood up and started walking out of their hideout after checking to make sure that no one was nearby to see them emerging through the shrubs. "You are so cruel, VesVes," CereCere whined as she followed after the other girls as they made their way through the turns of the labyrinth.

"You shouldn't make stories up," she chastised. "ChibiUsa believes everything you tell her."

"I really didn't make this one up. I heard-."

"I heard," a sharp voice spoke up from in front of them and all the girls jumped as the Sailor Senshi appeared at the entrance to the maze, "that none of you were present for your afternoon classes," Venus spoke firmly.

"Have you girls been hiding in the maze all day?" Sailor Mercury asked.

ChibiUsa looked around at the four new faces and paled, realizing that they must have lost track of the time. "It's my fault," she started to say.

"It's valiant of you to try and protect your friends," Sailor Venus responded, "however it would be much nobler of them to acknowledge that they are just as much at fault." Her eyes drifted over to CereCere. "Some more than others."

CereCere slowly stepped forward ahead of the other girls and faced Sailor Venus. "I am sorry Sensei Venus," she spoke in her most adult tone. "As the leader of the Sailor Quartetto, it is my responsibility to make sure that we are prepared to protect our Princess. Without proper training we will never realize our dreams of becoming as legendary as Neo-Queen Serenity's own protectors." She paused to look at the other guilty faces of her circle. "We will report to the training arena at once."

Venus snorted quietly at the young girl's prepared answer so that only Sailor Jupiter, standing close to her right, heard. "I expect no more delays."

The Senshi and the Sailor Quartetto started to walk off towards the training grounds, leaving Venus and CereCere alone. "How did you know we were here?" she asked quickly. "We were so careful to keep this a secret."

"Who do you think made that hideout of yours?" With a wink she turned and walked away, heading towards the Palace instead of the training grounds. CereCere watched her with a look of admiration. She wanted nothing more than to be like her mentor, but she knew that she still had a long way to go before she would become the leader she needed to be for her own Senshi. Venus was confident and smart and always seemed to know everything. She just knew deep down that the stories she had heard about her sensei were true whether the other girls believed her or not!

Venus slowed her pace as she saw Neo-Queen Serenity standing a short distance from the entrance of the Crystal Palace waiting for her. The silver haired woman stood regally as the light breeze tugged at the ends of her flowing dress, the tails of her hair also swaying from the warm air brushing against them. "Do they know now what happened?"

"Most of it," Sailor Venus responded. "As it turns out my young charge has been paying better attention than I realized," she chuckled for a moment. "More than once now I've noticed her ear pressed up to the door, but she isn't aware of that yet. I want her to listen and to understand, and if I have to trick her into paying attention so be it."

"Don't you think it's too much of a burden to put on your charge, telling her all of this now? They are all so young."

Venus schooled her features back into a serious expression. "For the same reason that only I out of all the other Senshi know the truth, she must know as well. If she is going to be their leader she will need to learn quickly what that means, and on that day I will tell her the remainder of the story. But for now, it's enough that she knows what she does." She paused for a moment, softening her expression. "One day we will need to tell the other Senshi what happened as well."

"In time," Serenity answered. "I think that it may be too much for them to understand right now." She shook her head sadly. "Everyone is just now learning again what it means to be happy and there is nothing I wish to do to jeopardize it. Besides, how can I explain to them what I have become? They will not understand – I barely understand."

"Cosmos," Eternal Sailor Moon whispered softly, "will you help me?"

"It's my fault that all of this has happened. I brought Chaos to your time and now I must send her back to where she came from."

"Then take my Crystal, it will help you to defeat her."

"That would be the same as taking your life," she replied kindly, "I realize now that I was wrong in wanting to take it from you in the first place. It doesn't matter what happens to me, I will make things right."

"We are one in the same, I cannot let you go back to where you came from alone."

"And I will not allow for Endymion to die," Cosmos stated firmly, turning her attention back to where Endymion was still kneeling on the ground. She could see the pain and sadness in his eyes as he felt the same death that was being imparted on his planet.

"You have the ability to manipulate time with your Cosmos Crystal," Eternal Sailor Moon looked into the multifaceted crystal glowing near her own. "Bring our timelines together."

"It's forbidden!"

"No, our times were once the same and now they shall become so again. Bring our worlds together and we will defeat Chaos. You don't have to be alone."

"What if you're wrong and we end the possibility of a new future?"

"My future lies within Crystal Tokyo and it will come to pass," Eternal Sailor Moon spoke assuredly.

Sailor Saturn swung her glaive high in the air. "Always with the end comes hope and rebirth."

"The timeline was corrected; I suppose that is enough for everyone to know."

"Yes, my Cosmos Crystal was thankfully enough to mend the rift between the timelines. It was a risk that I don't know if I should have taken. Suppose I was wrong and I altered the future?"

Sailor Cosmos reached out with her Crystal, murmuring softly as a myriad of colors erupted from the surface. Eternal Sailor Moon did the same as well, reaching out with the power of her Silver Crystal, a tear slipping out from the corner of her eye as she prayed to the stone emanating a silvery glow. Sailor Saturn's glaive swung high over head before sailing down towards the Earth. Silence and darkness ensued, both incarnations of Sailor Moon closing their eyes and bracing themselves against the cold air that beat heavily against them.

When they opened their eyes they were alone, standing face to face. Cosmos reached out to the winged woman in front of her and grabbed her hands. A gentle glow illuminated the immediate space around them leaving everything else to appear as an empty vacuum of space. "Did we fail?"

"I don't know," Eternal Sailor Moon answered.

"But you said that there was a future!" Cosmos exclaimed.

"Hope and Rebirth," she replied kindly. "That is who we are, one and the same just like Sailor Saturn is the End." She gently leaned forward and placed a kiss on Cosmos's lips. A glow formed between them and Eternal Sailor Moon slowly pulled back, revealing the two Crystals that had appeared between them. Moon scooped the Crystals into each hand and slowly brought them together.

"You made the right choice by joining your two selves together," Venus said with an air of authority. "Remember what Pluto told you before her death? If your actions would have done anything to alter the future of Crystal Tokyo she wouldn't have allowed herself to be slain."

"She spoke forcefully as if she knew what would transpire." Serenity's voice faded as her mind drifted back to the distant memory. "Sometimes I don't know if I can believe my memories. I have all of my memories from after the battle at the Galaxy Cauldron, but then I also have her memories of the battles she fought after her own encounter with the Galaxy Cauldron. Or maybe those are my memories and I share the memories of Eternal Sailor Moon's battle at the Galaxy Cauldron." She placed her fingers delicately at her forehead. "I was so weak then. I knew that Chaos would be reborn into the Cosmos, but I never imaged that she would resurface in the way that she did."

"I'm sorry that an incarnation of mine did what she did to you," Venus apologized.

"It was never you that did this. Chaos travelled to that time, to the day where we battled Zoicite, when you first revealed yourself to us. It was that moment that changed the flow of time. You – no, your counterpart – did not realize that by changing something as simple as to which turn she took would have such devastating effects. It was Chaos that brought you and Endymion together that night."

"I would never on my own-."

Serenity raised her hand to silence the woman in front of her. "I know, Minako." She smiled softly. "I also know where your heart belongs. It has been a difficult path for the both of you and I wish that there was something I could do to ease your pain."

"In time we will learn to forgive one another for what we have done. But for now, we have all the time we need."

"None of us knows what the future holds."

Venus gently touched her fingers to Serenity's forehead, pressing lightly against the gold moon sigil on her forehead. Faintly she could see the silver star that lay underneath, symbolic of the merging of the timelines when Sailor Cosmos and Eternal Sailor Moon joined together to become one and the same. She only allowed Venus and Endymion to see this combined sigil, opting to wear just her crescent moon when around any others. Since that day, she never again attempted to transform into Sailor Moon, unsure of which form she would take.

"I must go now," Venus spoke simply.

Serenity watched as her friend and guardian walked back towards the Palace. At the entrance to the gate stood Endymions' silver haired Shitennou, waiting patiently for the blonde. After a few exchanged words, and even more unspoken, they walked off together towards the training arena. Serenity smiled as she noticed them walking so close to each other that their shoulders were nearly touching. Memories resurfaced of the day back in the Moon Kingdom when she had been strolling through the garden with Endymion. Mars and Jadeite had accompanied them only after Jadeite had made his false excuses for being seen with the raven haired Princess. She and Endymion were not too blind to see the love between the two, nor were Mercury and Zoicite who were assigned guard duty that day. She could still see the look between Venus and Kunzite in that moment before they were discovered. A large smile pulled at her lips as she could more clearly remember the look between them once they realized that they had been discovered.

Everything appeared to be as it should. Her Senshi were once again reunited with their Shitennou counterparts, and finally, after two millennia she was married to her Prince, Endymion. ChibiUsa would one day rise to rule this Crystal kingdom with the Sailor Quartetto as her loyal guardians. One day they in turn would have to rise up to fight Chaos in whatever form her next incarnation might appear as. On that day, Serenity promised herself, she would reveal the secret of the Cosmos Crystal so that her daughter would be able to come out triumphant in her battle against darkness. ChibiUsa would become the ultimate form of Sailor Cosmos to fight in this battle. Serenity lied when she said to Venus that no one knew what the future held – she did and when the time came for her daughter to fight she would have to be strong enough to win this battle on her own. But for now, there was time enough for her to grow into her destiny.


End file.
